Search for nonresonant Higgs boson pair production in the $\mathrm{b\overline{b}b\overline{b}}$ final state at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for nonresonant Higgs boson pair production in the four b-quark final state at 13 TeV, setting upper limits on the production cross section with no observed signal.

Contribution

First search for nonresonant Higgs pair production in the bbbb final state at 13 TeV with CMS data, establishing upper limits and exploring BSM models.

Findings

No signal observed, upper limit of 847 fb on cross section.

Constraints placed on BSM models with modified Higgs couplings.

Results improve understanding of Higgs pair production at LHC.

Abstract

Results of a search for nonresonant production of Higgs boson pairs, with each Higgs boson decaying to a $\mathrm{b\overline{b}}$ pair are presented. This search uses data from proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$, collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. No signal is observed, and a 95% confidence level upper limit of 847 fb is set on the cross section for standard model nonresonant Higgs boson pair production times the squared branching fraction of the Higgs boson decay to a $\mathrm{b\overline{b}}$ pair. The same signature is studied, and upper limits are set, in the context of models of physics beyond the standard model that predict modified couplings of the Higgs boson.