Search for the nonresonant production of a pair of additional Higgs bosons in the Type-X two-Higgs-doublet model in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for nonresonant pair production of additional Higgs bosons decaying to tau pairs in proton-proton collisions, setting limits on the Type-X two-Higgs-doublet model and its relation to the muon g-2 anomaly.

Contribution

First search for nonresonant Higgs pair production in the Type-X 2HDM at 13 TeV, providing exclusion limits and implications for muon g-2.

Findings

No deviation from the standard model background observed.

Exclusion limits set on the Type-X 2HDM.

Model ruled out as an explanation for muon g-2 tension.

Abstract

A search is presented for the production of two additional Higgs bosons from an off-shell Z boson, where both additional particles decay to $\tau$ lepton pairs. The search is performed with a data sample collected with the CMS detector from proton-proton collisions at the LHC at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. No deviation from the standard model background is observed. Exclusion limits are set on the Type-X two-Higgs-doublet model alignment scenario. These results rule out this model as an explanation to the potential tension between the experimental and theoretical values of the muon anomalous magnetic moment.