Abstract:
A search for the standard model Higgs boson in the vector boson fusion production channel with decay to bottom quarks is reported. A data sample comprising 19.0~fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$~TeV collected during the 2012 running period has been analyzed and 95\% Confidence Level upper limits are derived for five mass points from 115 to 135 GeV. At a Higgs boson mass of 125~GeV the observed limit is 3.6 while the expected limit is 3.0 times the standard model prediction. For a 125 GeV Higgs boson signal the fitted signal strength is $\mu=\sigma/\sigma_{\rm SM}=0.7\pm1.4$.
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