Constraints on anomalous Higgs boson couplings to vector bosons and fermions from the production of Higgs bosons using the $\tau\tau$ final state

TL;DR

This paper investigates potential deviations in Higgs boson interactions with vector bosons and fermions using data from the CMS experiment, employing advanced analysis techniques to set new constraints on anomalous couplings.

Contribution

It provides the most stringent experimental constraints on anomalous Higgs couplings by combining multiple decay channels and employing matrix-element and machine-learning methods.

Findings

Pure CP-odd Higgs-gluon coupling is excluded at 2.4 standard deviations.

Results are consistent with Standard Model predictions.

New limits on anomalous Higgs interactions are established.

Abstract

A study of anomalous couplings of the Higgs boson to vector bosons and fermions is presented. The data were recorded by the CMS experiment at a center-of-mass energy of pp collisions at the LHC of 13 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The study uses Higgs boson candidates produced mainly in gluon fusion or electroweak vector boson fusion at the LHC that subsequently decay to a pair of $\tau$ leptons. Matrix-element and machine-learning techniques were employed in a search for anomalous interactions. The results are combined with those from the four-lepton and two-photon decay channels to yield the most stringent constraints on anomalous Higgs boson couplings to date. The pure $CP$-odd scenario of the Higgs boson coupling to gluons is excluded at 2.4 standard deviations. The results are consistent with the standard model predictions.