Measurements of the associated production of a Z boson and b jets in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports measurements of Z boson production with b jets in proton-proton collisions at 8 TeV, providing detailed cross sections and ratios to test theoretical models and flavor schemes.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed differential cross section measurements of Z+b jet production at 8 TeV, comparing two flavor schemes for initial-state partons.

Findings

Measured differential cross sections as functions of kinematic variables.

Compared results to theoretical predictions for validation.

Analyzed Z boson production with two b jets.

Abstract

Measurements of the associated production of a Z boson with at least one jet originating from a b quark in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV are presented. Differential cross sections are measured with data collected by the CMS experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.8 inverse femtobarns. Z bosons are reconstructed through their decays to electrons and muons. Cross sections are measured as a function of observables characterizing the kinematics of the b jet and the Z boson. Ratios of differential cross sections for the associated production with at least one b jet to the associated production with any jet are also presented. The production of a Z boson with two b jets is investigated, and differential cross sections are measured for the dijet system. Results are compared to theoretical predictions, testing two different flavour schemes for the choice of initial-state partons.