Search for a low mass Standard Model Higgs boson in the tau-tau decay channel in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 1.96 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for a low mass Standard Model Higgs boson decaying into tau pairs in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.96 TeV, setting upper limits on production cross section without observing a significant signal.

Contribution

First search for low mass SM Higgs decaying to tau pairs in proton-antiproton collisions at Tevatron, providing upper limits on production cross section.

Findings

No significant excess observed.

Set 95% CL upper limits on cross section times branching ratio.

For 120 GeV Higgs, observed limit is 14.6 times the predicted value.

Abstract

We report on a search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into pairs of tau leptons in $p\bar{p}$ collisions produced by the Tevatron at $\sqrt{s}$ = 1.96 TeV. The analyzed data sample was recorded by the CDFII detector and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 6.0 fb$^{-1}$. The search is performed in the final state with one tau decaying leptonically and the second one identified through its semi-hadronic decay.Since no significant excess is observed, a 95% credibility level upper limit on the production cross section times branching ratio to the tau-tau final state is set for hypothetical Higgs boson masses between 100 and 150 GeV/$c^2$. For a Higgs boson of 120 GeV/$c^2$ the observed (expected) limit is 14.6 (15.3) the predicted value.