Search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson to a pair of pseudoscalars in the $$\mu\mu$$bb and $$\tau\tau$$bb final states
A search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson (H) with a mass of 125 GeV to a pair of light pseudoscalars $$\mathrm{a}_1$$ is performed in final states where one pseudoscalar decays to two b quarks and the other to a pair of muons or $$\tau$$ leptons. A data sample of proton-proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s}$$ = 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$$^{-1}$$ recorded with the CMS detector is analyzed. No statistically significant excess is observed over the standard model backgrounds. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level (CL) on the Higgs boson branching fraction to $$\mu\mu$$bb and to $$\tau\tau$$bb, via a pair of $$\mathrm{a}_1$$s. The limits depend on the pseudoscalar mass $$m_{\mathrm{a}_1}$$ and are observed to be in the range (0.17-3.3) $$\times$$ 10$$^{-4}$$ and (1.7-7.7) $$\times$$ 10$$^{2}$$ in the $$\mu\mu$$bb and $$\tau\tau$$bb final states, respectively. In the framework of models with two Higgs doublets and a complex scalar singlet (2HDM+S), the results of the two final states are combined to determine model-independent upper limits on the branching fraction $$\mathcal{B}$$(H $$\to$$ $$\mathrm{a}_1\mathrm{a}_1$$ $$\to$$ $$\ell\ell$$bb) at 95% CL, with $$\ell$$ being a muon or a $$\tau$$ lepton. For different types of 2HDM+S, upper bounds on the branching fraction $$\mathcal{B}$$(H $$\to$$ $$\mathrm{a}_1\mathrm{a}_1$$) are extracted from the combination of the two channels. In most of the Type II 2HDM+S parameter space, $$\mathcal{B}($$H $$\to$$ $$\mathrm{a}_1\mathrm{a}_1$$) values above 0.23 are excluded at 95% CL for $$m_{\mathrm{a}_1}$$ values between 15 and 60 GeV.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
- Contributing Organization:
- CMS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-07CH11359
- OSTI ID:
- 2318660
- Report Number(s):
- CMS-HIG-22-007; CERN-EP-2023-284; FERMILAB-PUB-24-0093-CMS; arXiv:2402.13358; oai:inspirehep.net:2760544
- Journal Information:
- TBD, Journal Name: TBD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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