Combination of Standard Model Higgs searches at CDF

TL;DR

This paper combines multiple Higgs boson searches at the Fermilab Tevatron to improve sensitivity, setting upper limits on production cross sections across a range of masses without observing a significant excess.

Contribution

It presents the first combined analysis of various Higgs search channels at CDF, enhancing the overall sensitivity to the SM Higgs boson.

Findings

No significant excess observed above background expectations.

Upper limits set on Higgs production cross section at different masses.

Sensitivity improved through combined analysis of multiple channels.

Abstract

We present the latest combination of searches for a standard model (SM) Higgs boson in ppbar collisions at \sqrts= 1.96 TeV recorded by the CDF~II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. Using data corresponding to 2.3-5.9 fb-1 of integrated luminosity, we perform searches in a number of different production and decay modes and then combine them to improve sensitivity. No excess in data above that expected from backgrounds is observed; therefore, we set upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction as a function of the SM Higgs boson mass (mH). The combined observed (expected) limit is 1.9 (1.8) times the SM prediction at mH = 115 Gev/c^2 and 1.0 (1.1) times the SM prediction at mH = 165 GeV/c^2.