206 Search Results

A pioneering machine-learning-based flavor-tagging algorithm combining same-side and opposite-side tagging is used to obtain the equivalent of 27$$\,$$000 tagged B$$^0_\mathrm{s}$$$$\to$$ J/$$\psi\, \phi$$(1020) decays from pp collisions at $$\sqrt{s} =$$ 13 TeV, collected by the CMS experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 96.5 fb$$^{-1}$$. A time- and flavor-dependent angular analysis of the $$\mu^+\mu^-$$K$$^+$$K$$^-$ final state is used to measure parameters of the $$\mathrm{B}^0_\mathrm{s}$$-$$\overline{\mathrm{B}}^0_\mathrm{s}$$ system. The weak phase is measured to be $$\phi_\mathrm{s}$$ = $$-$$73 $$\pm$$ 23 (stat) $$\pm$$ 7 (syst) mrad, which, combined with a $$\sqrt{s}$$ = 8 TeV CMS result, gives $$\phi_\mathrm{s}$$ = $$-$$74 $$\pm$$ 23 mrad. Thismore » value differs from zero by 3.2 standard deviations, providing evidence for $CP$ violation in B$$^0_\mathrm{s}$$$$\to$$ J/$$\psi\,\phi$$(1020) decays. All measured physics parameters are found to agree with standard model predictions where available.« less

A first search for beyond the standard model physics in jet multiplicity patterns of multilepton events is presented, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb⁻¹ of 13 TeV proton-proton collisions recorded by the CMS detector at the LHC. The search uses observed jet multiplicity distributions in one-, two-, and four-lepton events to explore possible enhancements in jet production rate in three-lepton events with and without bottom quarks. The data are found to be consistent with the standard model expectation. The results are interpreted in terms of supersymmetric production of electroweak chargino-neutralino superpartners with cascade decaysmore » terminating in prompt hadronic 𝑅-parity violating interactions.« less

This Letter presents the first search for bottom quark associated production of the standard model Higgs boson, in final states with leptons. Higgs boson decays to pairs of tau leptons and pairs of leptonically decaying W bosons are considered. The search is performed using data collected from 2016 to 2018 by the CMS experiment in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb^-1. Upper limits at the 95% confidence level are placed on the signal strength for Higgs boson production in association with bottom quarks; the observed (expected) upper limit ismore » 3.7 (6.1) times the standard model prediction« less

Measurements in the highly Lorentz-boosted regime provoke increased interest in probing the Higgs boson properties and in searching for particles beyond the standard model at the LHC. In the CMS Collaboration, various boosted-object tagging algorithms, designed to identify hadronic jets originating from a massive particle decaying to bb̅ or cc̅, have been developed and deployed across a range of physics analyses. This paper highlights their performance on simulated events, and summarizes novel calibration techniques using proton-proton collision data collected at √(s) = 13 TeV during the 2016–2018 LHC data-taking period. Three dedicated methods are used for the calibration in multijetmore » events, leveraging either machine learning techniques, the presence of muons within energetic boosted jets, or the reconstruction of hadronically decaying high-energy Z bosons. The calibration results, obtained through a combination of these approaches, are presented and discussed.« less

A first study is presented of the cross section for the scattering of same-sign W boson pairs via the detection of a τ lepton. The data from proton-proton collisions at the center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV were collected by the CMS detector at the LHC, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb⁻¹. Events were selected that contain two jets with large pseudorapidity and large invariant mass, one τ lepton, one light lepton (e or μ), and significant missing transverse momentum. The measured cross section for electroweak same-sign WW scattering is $$1.44^{+0.63}_{-0.56}$$ times the standard model prediction. In addition,more » a search is presented for the indirect effects of processes beyond the standard model via the effective field theory framework, in terms of dimension-6 and dimension-8 operators.« less

The polarization of the Λ and $$\bar{Λ}$$ hyperons along the beam direction has been measured in proton-lead (𝑝-Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 8.16 TeV. The data were obtained with the CMS detector at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 186.0 ± 6.5 nb⁻¹. A significant azimuthal dependence of the hyperon polarization, characterized by the second-order Fourier sine coefficient 𝑃_𝑧,s⁢2, is observed. The 𝑃_𝑧,s⁢2 values decrease as a function of charged particle multiplicity, but increase with transverse momentum. A hydrodynamic model that describes the observed 𝑃_𝑧,s⁢2 values in nucleus-nucleus collisions by introducing vorticitymore » effects does not reproduce either the sign or the magnitude of the 𝑝-Pb results. These observations pose a challenge to the current theoretical implementation of spin polarization in heavy ion collisions and offer new insights into the origin of spin polarization in hadronic collisions at LHC energies.« less

Despite the f₀(980) hadron having been discovered half a century ago, the question about its quark content has not been settled: it might be an ordinary quark-antiquark ($$q\bar{q}$$) meson, a tetraquark ($$q\bar{q}$$$$q\bar{q}$$) exotic state, a kaon-antikaon ($$K\bar{K}$$) molecule, or a quark-antiquark-gluon ($$q\bar{q}$$g) hybrid. This paper reports strong evidence that the f₀(980) state is an ordinary $$q\bar{q}$$ meson, inferred from the scaling of elliptic anisotropies (v₂) with the number of constituent quarks (n_q), as empirically established using conventional hadrons in relativistic heavy ion collisions. The f₀(980) state is reconstructed via its dominant decay channel f₀(980) → π⁺π⁻, in proton-lead collisions recordedmore » by the CMS experiment at the LHC, and its v₂ is measured as a function of transverse momentum (p_T). It is found that the n_q = 2 ($$q\bar{q}$$ state) hypothesis is favored over n_q = 4 ($$q\bar{q}$$$$q\bar{q}$$ or $$K\bar{K}$$ states) by 7.7, 6.3, or 3.1 standard deviations in the p_T < 10, 8, or 6 GeV/c ranges, respectively, and over n_q = 3 ($$q\bar{q}$$g hybrid state) by 3.5 standard deviations in the p_T < 8 GeV/c range. This result represents the first determination of the quark content of the f₀(980) state, made possible by using a novel approach, and paves the way for similar studies of other exotic hadron candidates.« less

Salient aspects of the commissioning, calibration, and performance of the CMS silicon strip tracker are discussed, drawing on experience during operation with proton-proton collisions delivered by the CERN LHC. The data were obtained with a variety of luminosities. The operating temperature of the strip tracker was changed several times during this period and results are shown as a function of temperature in several cases. Details of the system performance are presented, including occupancy, signal-to-noise ratio, Lorentz angle, and single-hit spatial resolution. Saturation effects in the APV25 readout chip preamplifier observed during early Run 2 are presented, showing the effect onmore » various observables and the subsequent remedy. Studies of radiation effects on the strip tracker are presented both for the optical readout links and the silicon sensors. The observed effects are compared to simulation, where available, and they generally agree well with expectations.« less

A search for flavor-changing neutral current interactions of the top quark (𝑡) and the Higgs boson (𝐻) is presented. The search is based on proton-proton collision data collected in 2016–2018 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC, and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb⁻¹. Events containing a pair of leptons with the same-sign electric charge and at least one jet are considered. The results are used to constrain the branching fraction (ℬ) of the top quark decaying to a Higgs boson and an up (𝑢) or charm (𝑐) quark. No significantmore » excess above the estimated background was found. The observed (expected) upper limits at a 95% confidence level are found to be 0.072% (0.059%) for ℬ⁡(𝑡 → 𝐻⁡𝑢) and 0.043% (0.062%) for ℬ⁡(𝑡 → 𝐻⁡𝑐). These results are combined with two other searches performed by the CMS Collaboration for flavor-changing neutral current interactions of top quarks and Higgs bosons in final states where the Higgs boson decays to either a pair of photons or a pair of bottom quarks. The resulting observed (expected) upper limits at the 95% confidence level are 0.019% (0.027%) for ℬ⁡(𝑡 → 𝐻⁡𝑢) and 0.037% (0.035%) for ℬ⁡(𝑡 → 𝐻⁡𝑐).« less

The first search for a heavy neutral spin-1 gauge boson (𝑍′) with nonuniversal fermion couplings produced via vector boson fusion processes and decaying to tau leptons or 𝑊 bosons is presented. The analysis is performed using LHC data at $$\sqrt{𝑠}$$ = 13 TeV, collected from 2016 to 2018 with the CMS experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb⁻¹. The data are consistent with the standard model predictions. Upper limits are set on the product of the cross section for production of the 𝑍′ boson and its branching fraction to 𝜏⁢𝜏 or 𝑊⁢𝑊. The presence of a 𝑍′more » boson decaying to 𝜏⁺⁢𝜏⁻ (𝑊⁺⁢𝑊⁻) is excluded for masses up to 2.45(1.60) TeV, depending on the 𝑍′ boson coupling to standard model weak bosons, and assuming a 𝑍′→𝜏⁺⁢𝜏⁻ (𝑊⁺⁢𝑊⁻) branching fraction of 50%.« less