Standard Model Higgs Combination from CMS with up to 1.7 fb-1 of data

TL;DR

This paper combines multiple CMS searches for the Standard Model Higgs boson across various decay modes using up to 1.7 fb-1 of data, setting exclusion limits in several mass ranges without observing a significant signal.

Contribution

It provides the first combined analysis of CMS Higgs searches across eight decay channels with up to 1.7 fb-1 of data, establishing exclusion limits in multiple mass regions.

Findings

No significant Higgs signal observed

Excluded Higgs mass ranges at 95% confidence level

Expected exclusion range was broader than observed

Abstract

The combination is presented of searches for a standard model (SM) Higgs boson in eight decay modes: H->gamma,gamma, H->tau,tau, H->bb, H->WW->2l2nu, H->ZZ->4l, H->ZZ->2l2tau, H->ZZ->2l2nu, and H->ZZ->2l2q. The searches were performed by the CMS Collaboration using 1.1-1.7 fb-1 of integrated luminosity, depending on the analysis. No excess compatible with a SM Higgs signal has been observed; the largest excursion of the observed data from the expected background has a probability of 0.4 after taking into account the look-elsewhere effect. The SM Higgs boson is excluded at 95% C.L. in three mass ranges 145-216, 226-288, and 310-400 GeV/c2, while the expected exclusion range is 130-440 GeV/c2.