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| CMS-PAS-NPS-25-003 | ||
| Search for Higgs boson decays into two neutral scalars with unequal masses in final states with b quarks and tau leptons | ||
| CMS Collaboration | ||
| 2026-03-18 | ||
| Abstract: A search for Higgs boson decays to a pair of neutral scalars $ \phi_1 $ and $ \phi_2 $ with unequal masses is performed in final states with b quarks and $ \tau $ leptons. Depending on the masses of the neutral scalars, $ \phi_2 $ can undergo a cascade decay into a pair of $ \phi_1 $ scalars. For both the cascade and non-cascade scenario, one $ \phi_1 $ is required to decay to a pair of $ \tau $ leptons; this decay mode provides a distinctive signature that is used for the online selection of events. Proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$ ^{-1} $ collected with the CMS detector at the LHC at $ \sqrt{s}= $ 13 TeV are analyzed. No statistically significant excess over the standard model expectation is observed. Upper limits are set on the Higgs boson branching fraction to $ \phi_1 \phi_2 \to 2\tau 4\mathrm{b} $ and to $ \phi_1 \phi_2 \to 2\tau 2\mathrm{b} $ along with the corresponding cross sections. The observed upper limits on $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathrm{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_1 \phi_2 \to 2\tau 4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau 2\mathrm{b}) $, where $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}} $ is the standard model Higgs boson production cross section, range between 0.9 and 36.8 pb depending on the scalar masses. | ||
| Links: CDS record (PDF) ; CADI line (restricted) ; | ||
| Figures | |
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Figure 1:
Representative Feynman diagrams for $ {\mathrm{g}\mathrm{g}} $F and VBF production of the H, decaying into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ (cascade) and 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ (non-cascade) final states. |
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Figure 1-a:
Representative Feynman diagrams for $ {\mathrm{g}\mathrm{g}} $F and VBF production of the H, decaying into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ (cascade) and 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ (non-cascade) final states. |
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Figure 1-b:
Representative Feynman diagrams for $ {\mathrm{g}\mathrm{g}} $F and VBF production of the H, decaying into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ (cascade) and 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ (non-cascade) final states. |
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Figure 1-c:
Representative Feynman diagrams for $ {\mathrm{g}\mathrm{g}} $F and VBF production of the H, decaying into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ (cascade) and 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ (non-cascade) final states. |
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Figure 1-d:
Representative Feynman diagrams for $ {\mathrm{g}\mathrm{g}} $F and VBF production of the H, decaying into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ (cascade) and 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ (non-cascade) final states. |
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Figure 2:
Pre-fit distributions of $ D_{\zeta} $ (upper left), $ m^{\text{vis}}(\tau\tau\mathrm{b}_1) $ (upper right), $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\mu, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower left), and $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\tau_\mathrm{h}, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower right), including underflow and overflow bins, for preselected events with at least one b-tagged jet for the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, without any SR requirements. Representative signal distributions are overlaid assuming a 100% branching fraction for H decay into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ for cascade mass hypotheses (15, 70) and (30, 80) and into 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ for non-cascade mass hypotheses (20, 30) and (40, 60). |
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Figure 2-a:
Pre-fit distributions of $ D_{\zeta} $ (upper left), $ m^{\text{vis}}(\tau\tau\mathrm{b}_1) $ (upper right), $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\mu, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower left), and $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\tau_\mathrm{h}, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower right), including underflow and overflow bins, for preselected events with at least one b-tagged jet for the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, without any SR requirements. Representative signal distributions are overlaid assuming a 100% branching fraction for H decay into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ for cascade mass hypotheses (15, 70) and (30, 80) and into 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ for non-cascade mass hypotheses (20, 30) and (40, 60). |
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Figure 2-b:
Pre-fit distributions of $ D_{\zeta} $ (upper left), $ m^{\text{vis}}(\tau\tau\mathrm{b}_1) $ (upper right), $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\mu, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower left), and $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\tau_\mathrm{h}, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower right), including underflow and overflow bins, for preselected events with at least one b-tagged jet for the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, without any SR requirements. Representative signal distributions are overlaid assuming a 100% branching fraction for H decay into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ for cascade mass hypotheses (15, 70) and (30, 80) and into 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ for non-cascade mass hypotheses (20, 30) and (40, 60). |
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Figure 2-c:
Pre-fit distributions of $ D_{\zeta} $ (upper left), $ m^{\text{vis}}(\tau\tau\mathrm{b}_1) $ (upper right), $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\mu, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower left), and $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\tau_\mathrm{h}, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower right), including underflow and overflow bins, for preselected events with at least one b-tagged jet for the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, without any SR requirements. Representative signal distributions are overlaid assuming a 100% branching fraction for H decay into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ for cascade mass hypotheses (15, 70) and (30, 80) and into 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ for non-cascade mass hypotheses (20, 30) and (40, 60). |
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Figure 2-d:
Pre-fit distributions of $ D_{\zeta} $ (upper left), $ m^{\text{vis}}(\tau\tau\mathrm{b}_1) $ (upper right), $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\mu, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower left), and $ m_{\mathrm{T}}(\tau_\mathrm{h}, p_{\mathrm{T}}^\text{miss}) $ (lower right), including underflow and overflow bins, for preselected events with at least one b-tagged jet for the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, without any SR requirements. Representative signal distributions are overlaid assuming a 100% branching fraction for H decay into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ for cascade mass hypotheses (15, 70) and (30, 80) and into 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ for non-cascade mass hypotheses (20, 30) and (40, 60). |
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Figure 3:
Pre-fit BDT score distribution for preselected events with at least one b-tagged jet for the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ (upper left), $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ (upper right), and $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ (lower) channels, without any SR requirements. Representative signal distributions are overlaid assuming a 100% branching fraction for H decay into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ for cascade mass hypotheses (15, 70) and (30, 80) and into 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ for non-cascade mass hypotheses (20, 30) and (40, 60). The gray band represents the unconstrained statistical and shape-based systematic uncertainties. |
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Figure 3-a:
Pre-fit BDT score distribution for preselected events with at least one b-tagged jet for the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ (upper left), $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ (upper right), and $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ (lower) channels, without any SR requirements. Representative signal distributions are overlaid assuming a 100% branching fraction for H decay into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ for cascade mass hypotheses (15, 70) and (30, 80) and into 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ for non-cascade mass hypotheses (20, 30) and (40, 60). The gray band represents the unconstrained statistical and shape-based systematic uncertainties. |
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Figure 3-b:
Pre-fit BDT score distribution for preselected events with at least one b-tagged jet for the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ (upper left), $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ (upper right), and $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ (lower) channels, without any SR requirements. Representative signal distributions are overlaid assuming a 100% branching fraction for H decay into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ for cascade mass hypotheses (15, 70) and (30, 80) and into 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ for non-cascade mass hypotheses (20, 30) and (40, 60). The gray band represents the unconstrained statistical and shape-based systematic uncertainties. |
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Figure 3-c:
Pre-fit BDT score distribution for preselected events with at least one b-tagged jet for the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ (upper left), $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ (upper right), and $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ (lower) channels, without any SR requirements. Representative signal distributions are overlaid assuming a 100% branching fraction for H decay into 2 $ \tau4\mathrm{b} $ for cascade mass hypotheses (15, 70) and (30, 80) and into 2 $ \tau2\mathrm{b} $ for non-cascade mass hypotheses (20, 30) and (40, 60). The gray band represents the unconstrained statistical and shape-based systematic uncertainties. |
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Figure 4:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
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Figure 4-a:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
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Figure 4-b:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
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Figure 4-c:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
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Figure 4-d:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
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Figure 4-e:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
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Figure 4-f:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
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Figure 5:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
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Figure 5-a:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
png pdf |
Figure 5-b:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
png pdf |
Figure 5-c:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
png pdf |
Figure 5-d:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
png pdf |
Figure 5-e:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
png pdf |
Figure 5-f:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left) and SR4 (middle right), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (lower left) and SR2 (lower right). |
png pdf |
Figure 6:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (middle right) and SR2 (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 6-a:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (middle right) and SR2 (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 6-b:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (middle right) and SR2 (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 6-c:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (middle right) and SR2 (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 6-d:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (middle right) and SR2 (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 6-e:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel, in events with exactly one b-tagged jet: SR1 (upper left), SR2 (upper right), SR3 (middle left), and in events with at least two b-tagged jets: SR1 (middle right) and SR2 (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 7:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the BDT-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
png pdf |
Figure 7-a:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the BDT-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
png pdf |
Figure 7-b:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the BDT-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
png pdf |
Figure 7-c:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the BDT-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
png pdf |
Figure 7-d:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the BDT-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
png pdf |
Figure 8:
Observed and expected upper limits for the cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 30 (upper left), 20 (upper right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 8-a:
Observed and expected upper limits for the cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 30 (upper left), 20 (upper right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 8-b:
Observed and expected upper limits for the cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 30 (upper left), 20 (upper right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 8-c:
Observed and expected upper limits for the cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 30 (upper left), 20 (upper right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 9:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ \phi_{2} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 9-a:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ \phi_{2} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 9-b:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ \phi_{2} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 9-c:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ \phi_{2} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 9-d:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ \phi_{2} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 9-e:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the BDT-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ \phi_{2} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 10:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 10-a:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 10-b:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 10-c:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 11:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 11-a:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 11-b:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 11-c:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 12:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 12-a:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 12-b:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 12-c:
Background only post-fit $ m_{\tau\tau} $ distributions in events with at least one b-tagged jet in the $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\mu $ channel cut-based categories, SRL (upper left), SRM (upper right), and SRH (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 13:
Observed and expected upper limits for the cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 30 (upper left), 20 (upper right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 13-a:
Observed and expected upper limits for the cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 30 (upper left), 20 (upper right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 13-b:
Observed and expected upper limits for the cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 30 (upper left), 20 (upper right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 13-c:
Observed and expected upper limits for the cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 30 (upper left), 20 (upper right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 14:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 14-a:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 14-b:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 14-c:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 14-d:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 14-e:
Observed and expected upper limits for the non-cascade scenario on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $), using the cut-based event categorization and fit to the di-$ \tau $ mass. The plots show a scan over values of $ m_{\phi_{2}} $, with $ \phi_{1} $ masses fixed at $ m_{\phi_{1}} = $ 50 (upper left), 40 (upper right), 30 (middle left), 20 (middle right), and 15 GeV (lower). |
png pdf |
Figure 15:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the cut-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
png pdf |
Figure 15-a:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the cut-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
png pdf |
Figure 15-b:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the cut-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
png pdf |
Figure 15-c:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the cut-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
png pdf |
Figure 15-d:
Channel-wise and combined 95% CL observed upper limits on the cross section $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $, using the cut-based event categorization, as a function of scalar masses. |
| Tables | |
png pdf |
Table 1:
The e, $ \mu $, and $ \tau_\mathrm{h} p_{\mathrm{T}} $ thresholds in GeV at the trigger level. For $ \mathrm{e}\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ and $ \mu\hspace{-.04em}\tau_\mathrm{h} $ channels, the $ p_{\mathrm{T}} $ thresholds for the light leptons are dependent on the specific trigger fired, i.e., single lepton or a cross trigger. For such objects, the thresholds are mentioned in the following format: single lepton $ p_{\mathrm{T}} $ threshold, cross trigger $ p_{\mathrm{T}} $ threshold. |
png pdf |
Table 2:
List of kinematic variables used as inputs to the BDT discriminator. The leading and sub-leading b-tagged jets are denoted by $ \mathrm{b}_1 $ and $ \mathrm{b}_2 $, respectively. The combined four-momentum of the visible $ \tau $-lepton final states is denoted by $ \tau \tau $. The increasing importance of a feature in the training is denoted by decreasing numerical values. |
png pdf |
Table 3:
Definitions of signal and control regions using BDT discriminator score. |
png pdf |
Table 4:
Impact of different groups of uncertainties in the observed limits on $ \mathcal{B} $($ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $) using BDT-based SR categories. |
png pdf |
Table 5:
Definitions of cut-based event categories in the three channels. The thresholds are indicated in GeV. |
| Summary |
| A search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson (H) into a pair of light neutral scalars with non-degenerate masses has been presented. Final states with at least one b-tagged jet and two $ \tau $ leptons are studied using a data sample of proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$, accumulated by the CMS experiment at the LHC during 2016--2018 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The analysis is dominated by statistical uncertainties and the systematic uncertainties arising from the normalizations of backgrounds. Overall, no deviation from the expected standard model (SM) background predictions is observed, and upper limits are set on the branching fractions and cross sections of the decay $ \mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b} $. This analysis is sensitive to enhanced branching fractions of the neutral scalars into b quarks and $ \tau $ leptons for some of the non-cascade mass points. The observed upper limits at 95% CL on the combined measurement of $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}}\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $ range between 0.9 and 36.8 pb depending on the mass hypothesis and decay scenario, where $ \sigma_{\mathrm{SM}} $ is the SM Higgs boson production cross section. These correspond to upper limits on the branching fraction $ \mathcal{B}(\mathrm{H} \to \phi_{1} \phi_{2} \to 2\tau4\mathrm{b}, 2\tau2\mathrm{b}) $ between 1.6% and 70.2%. These are the first limits on exotic Higgs boson decays into two light neutral scalar particles of unequal masses in final states involving b quarks and $ \tau $ leptons, using 13 TeV data from the CMS experiment. |
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