Search for dark matter particles produced in association with a Higgs boson in proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{\mathrm{s}} $$ = 13 TeV

Abstract

A search for dark matter (DM) particles is performed using events with a Higgs boson candidate and large missing transverse momentum. The analysis is based on protonproton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2016, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb −1. The search is performed in five Higgs boson decay channels: h → bb, γγ, τ + τ − , W + W − , and ZZ. The results from the individual channels are combined to maximize the sensitivity of the analysis. No significant excess over the expected standard model background is observed in any of the five channels or in their combination. Limits are set on DM production in the context of two simplified models. The results are also interpreted in terms of a spin-independent DM-nucleon scattering cross section and compared to those from directdetection DM experiments. This is the first search for DM particles produced in association with a Higgs boson decaying to a pair of W or Z bosons, and the first statistical combination based on five Higgs boson decay channels.

Search for dark matter produced in association with a Standard Model Higgs boson decaying into b-quarks using the full Run 2 dataset from the ATLAS detector

“…Similar analyses were performed using data taken during the years 2015-2016 by AT-LAS [27] and CMS [28]. Other mono-Higgs analyses were also performed on the same datasets in final states where the Higgs boson decays into a pair of photons in ATLAS [29] or either a pair of photons, a τ + τ − pair in CMS [30] or a pair of W or Z bosons [28].…”

“…Similar analyses were performed using data taken during the years 2015-2016 by AT-LAS [27] and CMS [28]. Other mono-Higgs analyses were also performed on the same datasets in final states where the Higgs boson decays into a pair of photons in ATLAS [29] or either a pair of photons, a τ + τ − pair in CMS [30] or a pair of W or Z bosons [28]. Beyond the large increase in integrated luminosity (from 36 fb −1 to 139 fb −1 ) a number of analysis improvements extend the sensitivity beyond the previous ATLAS search.…”

Simplified models for resonant neutral scalar production with missing transverse energy final states

“…As a second experimental signature, we investigate a mono-Higgs plus missing energy final state. Also for this signature, a lot of experimental searches already exist [40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50]. These searches are typically interpreted in Z models, the THDM extended with an additional gauged U (1) symmetry, or in the THDMa.…”

Comparing 2HDM + scalar and pseudoscalar simplified models at LHC

“…The most recent searches for mono-h with h → bb by ATLAS and CMS can be found in [79,80]. Furthermore, in [81] CMS performs a first search of mono-h with h → bb, γγ, τ + τ − , W + W − , ZZ, where the exclusions are dominated by the bb channel. For our analysis, we use the model-independent upper limits on the h + / E T cross section provided by ATLAS [79] and compare it to the one we find from our simulation, as also done by the LHC-DMWG.…”