Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons using 7 TeV proton-proton collision data from the CMS experiment, setting limits and observing a potential excess near 124 GeV.

Contribution

First search using CMS data at 7 TeV for Higgs to two photons, setting exclusion limits and identifying a possible signal around 124 GeV.

Findings

Excluded Higgs mass range 128-132 GeV at 95% CL.

Observed a 3.1 sigma local excess at 124 GeV.

Global significance of excess is 1.8 sigma.

Abstract

A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 inverse femtobarns. Limits are set on the cross section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance of 3.1 sigma. The global significance of observing an excess with a local significance greater than 3.1 sigma anywhere in the search range 110-150 GeV is estimated to be 1.8 sigma. More data are required to ascertain the origin of this excess.