Combined measurements and interpretations of Higgs boson production and decay in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

TL;DR

This paper presents the most comprehensive combined analysis of Higgs boson production and decay at 13 TeV by CMS, confirming the Standard Model predictions with high precision across multiple channels and models.

Contribution

It provides the first combined measurement of Higgs processes at 13 TeV using extensive decay channels and interprets results within various theoretical frameworks, including effective field theories.

Findings

Measured Higgs signal strength close to Standard Model expectation

Set constraints on two-Higgs-doublet models

Confirmed compatibility with Standard Model predictions

Abstract

Combined measurements of Higgs boson production and decay rates are reported, representing the most comprehensive study performed by the CMS Collaboration to date. The included analyses use proton-proton collision data recorded by the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV from 2016 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The statistical combination is based on analyses that measure the following decay channels: H $\to$ $\gamma\gamma$, H $\to$ ZZ, H $\to$ WW, H $\to$ $\tau\tau$, H $\to$ bb, H $\to$ $\mu\mu$, and H $\to$ Z$\gamma$ $\to$ $\ell\ell\gamma$ ($\ell$ = e,$\mu$). Information in the events from each decay channel is used to target multiple Higgs boson production processes. Searches for invisible Higgs boson decays are also considered, as well as an analysis that measures off-shell Higgs boson production in the H $\to$ ZZ $\to$ 4$\ell$ decay channel. The best fit inclusive signal yield is measured to be 1.014$^{+0.055}_{-0.053}$ times the standard model expectation, for a Higgs boson mass of 125.38 GeV. Measurements in kinematic regions defined by the simplified template cross section framework are also provided, as well as interpretations in the coupling modifier and standard model effective field theory frameworks. The coupling modifier interpretation is further used to place constraints on various two-Higgs-doublet models. The results show good compatibility with the standard model predictions for the majority of the measured parameters.