Modeling Signal and Background Events in a Search for the doubly-charged Higgs boson
Session Number
PHYS 18
Advisor(s)
Peter Dong, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Discipline
Physical Science
Start Date
17-4-2025 11:10 AM
End Date
17-4-2025 11:25 AM
Abstract
Many theories beyond the Standard Model (SM) predict a doubly charged Higgs-like particle that can be pair-produced in hadronic interactions via a Drell-Yan-like mechanism. Specifically, the left-right symmetric model, which solves parity violation in the weak sector, predicts a Higgs triplet(non-SM neutral, singly-charged, and doubly-charged Higgs). The doubly-charged Higgs(H++ and H--) is chosen for its unique event signature: a pair of isolated leptons with high invariant mass and the same electric charge, rarely found in the SM.
Our study examines electrons and muons, excluding taus, resulting in decays to 6 channels. The analysis is based on data from proton-proton collisions recorded by the CMS experiment’s Run 2, with a total integrated luminosity of 139 fb-1. Using Monte Carlo simulations at 100 GeV intervals from 500-1500 GeV mass, we fit and parameterize our signal using a double-sided Crystal Ball distribution. Similarly, we fit background models, mainly composed of Drell-Yan and ZZ production processes, to power law distributions. These functions allow our analysis to calculate expected background at higher masses where simulations are no longer sensitive, then compare with measured data to detect a signal or place lower mass limits in its absence.
Modeling Signal and Background Events in a Search for the doubly-charged Higgs boson
Many theories beyond the Standard Model (SM) predict a doubly charged Higgs-like particle that can be pair-produced in hadronic interactions via a Drell-Yan-like mechanism. Specifically, the left-right symmetric model, which solves parity violation in the weak sector, predicts a Higgs triplet(non-SM neutral, singly-charged, and doubly-charged Higgs). The doubly-charged Higgs(H++ and H--) is chosen for its unique event signature: a pair of isolated leptons with high invariant mass and the same electric charge, rarely found in the SM.
Our study examines electrons and muons, excluding taus, resulting in decays to 6 channels. The analysis is based on data from proton-proton collisions recorded by the CMS experiment’s Run 2, with a total integrated luminosity of 139 fb-1. Using Monte Carlo simulations at 100 GeV intervals from 500-1500 GeV mass, we fit and parameterize our signal using a double-sided Crystal Ball distribution. Similarly, we fit background models, mainly composed of Drell-Yan and ZZ production processes, to power law distributions. These functions allow our analysis to calculate expected background at higher masses where simulations are no longer sensitive, then compare with measured data to detect a signal or place lower mass limits in its absence.