Low Mass Standard Model Higgs Limit at the Tevatron

TL;DR

This paper reports on the Tevatron's search for the Standard Model Higgs boson around 115 GeV/c2, achieving limits close to the predicted cross section with advanced analysis techniques, and projecting increased sensitivity in future runs.

Contribution

It presents the most sensitive Higgs search limits at the Tevatron for low mass range using novel analysis methods and combined data from CDF and DØ experiments.

Findings

Observed limit is 1.56 times the SM cross section at 115 GeV/c2.

Expected limit is 1.45 times the SM cross section, close to the observed.

Projected 3σ sensitivity at 115 GeV/c2 in future Tevatron runs.

Abstract

The searches for the Standard Model (SM) Higgs Boson at the Fermilab Tevatron by the CDF and D{\O} experiments are presented. Their state of the art techniques, including maximizing Higgs signal acceptance, reducing background through b-jet ID, and with Multi-Variate discrimination between signal and background, are elucidated. The two experiments are able to achieve a sensitivity of three to five times SM cross section ({\sigma}SM) at the benchmark mass point of mH=115 GeV/c2 using the main search channels WH->lvbb, ZH->vvbb, and ZH->llbb, and on combining all the channels from CDF and D{\O}, the observed (expected) limit is 1.56 (1.45) x {\sigma}SM. The present expected limit is 1.8 x {\sigma}SM or below for the entire low mass range, and sensitivity projections at present anticipate in Tevatron Run II a 3{\sigma} sensitivity achievement for mH=115 GeV/c2.