Search for the Standard Model Higgs Boson in the ZH --> neutrino-neutrino-b-b channel

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in the ZH and WH production channels with missing energy and b-jet signatures, setting upper limits on production cross sections.

Contribution

First search for SM Higgs in the neutrino-neutrino-b-b channel at the Tevatron, providing new upper limits on production cross sections for Higgs masses 105-135 GeV.

Findings

No significant excess over background observed.

Set 95% C.L. upper limits on sigma x B for Higgs masses 105-135 GeV.

Limits range from 2.5 to 8.3 pb depending on mass and channel.

Abstract

We report a search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson based on data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 260 pb^-1. We study events with missing transverse energy and two acoplanar b-jets, which provide sensitivity to the ZH production cross section in the neutrino-neutrino-b-b channel and to WH production, when the lepton from the W -> lepton+neutrino decay is undetected. The data are consistent with the SM background expectation, and we set 95% C.L. upper limits on sigma(p p-bar -> ZH/WH) x B(H -> b b-bar) from 3.4/8.3 to 2.5/6.3 pb, for Higgs masses between 105 and 135 GeV.