Search for the Higgs boson decays to a ρ0, φ, or K⁎0 meson and a photon in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139296

Search for the Higgs boson decays to a ρ⁰, φ, or K^⁎0 meson and a photon in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

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5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Three rare decay processes of the Higgs boson to a ρ(770)⁰, ϕ(1020), or K^⁎(892)⁰ meson and a photon are searched for using s=13TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Events are selected assuming the mesons decay into a pair of charged pions, a pair of charged kaons, or a charged kaon and pion, respectively. Depending on the Higgs boson production mode, different triggering and reconstruction techniques are adopted. The analyzed data sets correspond to integrated luminosities up to 138fb⁻¹, depending on the reconstructed final state. After combining various data sets and categories, no significant excess above the background expectations is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level on the Higgs boson branching fractions into ρ(770)⁰γ, ϕ(1020)γ, and K^⁎(892)⁰γ are determined to be 3.7×10⁻⁴, 3.0×10⁻⁴, and 3.0×10⁻⁴, respectively. In case of the ρ(770)⁰γ and ϕ(1020)γ channels, these are the most stringent experimental limits to date.

Original language	English
Article number	139296
Journal	Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics
Volume	862
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139296
State	Published - Mar 2025
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 CERN for the benefit of the CMS Collaboration

Keywords

CMS
Higgs
Rare decays

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Access to Document

10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139296

Cite this

@article{8729bba91e114e5880c0ad6398e856c3,

title = "Search for the Higgs boson decays to a ρ0, φ, or K⁎0 meson and a photon in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV",

abstract = "Three rare decay processes of the Higgs boson to a ρ(770)0, ϕ(1020), or K⁎(892)0 meson and a photon are searched for using s=13TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Events are selected assuming the mesons decay into a pair of charged pions, a pair of charged kaons, or a charged kaon and pion, respectively. Depending on the Higgs boson production mode, different triggering and reconstruction techniques are adopted. The analyzed data sets correspond to integrated luminosities up to 138fb−1, depending on the reconstructed final state. After combining various data sets and categories, no significant excess above the background expectations is observed. Upper limits at 95\% confidence level on the Higgs boson branching fractions into ρ(770)0γ, ϕ(1020)γ, and K⁎(892)0γ are determined to be 3.7{\texttimes}10−4, 3.0{\texttimes}10−4, and 3.0{\texttimes}10−4, respectively. In case of the ρ(770)0γ and ϕ(1020)γ channels, these are the most stringent experimental limits to date.",

keywords = "CMS, Higgs, Rare decays",

author = "A. Hayrapetyan and A. Tumasyan and W. Adam and Andrejkovic, \{J. W.\} and T. Bergauer and S. Chatterjee and K. Damanakis and M. Dragicevic and Hussain, \{P. S.\} and M. Jeitler and N. Krammer and A. Li and D. Liko and I. Mikulec and J. Schieck and R. Sch{\"o}fbeck and D. Schwarz and M. Sonawane and W. Waltenberger and Wulz, \{C. E.\} and T. Janssen and \{Van Laer\}, T. and \{Van Mechelen\}, P. and N. Breugelmans and J. D'Hondt and S. Dansana and \{De Moor\}, A. and M. Delcourt and F. Heyen and S. Lowette and I. Makarenko and D. M{\"u}ller and S. Tavernier and M. Tytgat and \{Van Onsem\}, \{G. P.\} and \{Van Putte\}, S. and D. Vannerom and B. Bilin and B. Clerbaux and Das, \{A. K.\} and \{De Lentdecker\}, G. and H. Evard and L. Favart and P. Gianneios and J. Jaramillo and A. Khalilzadeh and Khan, \{F. A.\} and K. Lee and M. Mahdavikhorrami and A. Malara",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 CERN for the benefit of the CMS Collaboration",

year = "2025",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139296",

language = "English",

volume = "862",

journal = "Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics",

issn = "0370-2693",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Search for the Higgs boson decays to a ρ0, φ, or K⁎0 meson and a photon in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

AU - Hayrapetyan, A.

AU - Tumasyan, A.

AU - Adam, W.

AU - Andrejkovic, J. W.

AU - Bergauer, T.

AU - Chatterjee, S.

AU - Damanakis, K.

AU - Dragicevic, M.

AU - Hussain, P. S.

AU - Jeitler, M.

AU - Krammer, N.

AU - Li, A.

AU - Liko, D.

AU - Mikulec, I.

AU - Schieck, J.

AU - Schöfbeck, R.

AU - Schwarz, D.

AU - Sonawane, M.

AU - Waltenberger, W.

AU - Wulz, C. E.

AU - Janssen, T.

AU - Van Laer, T.

AU - Van Mechelen, P.

AU - Breugelmans, N.

AU - D'Hondt, J.

AU - Dansana, S.

AU - De Moor, A.

AU - Delcourt, M.

AU - Heyen, F.

AU - Lowette, S.

AU - Makarenko, I.

AU - Müller, D.

AU - Tavernier, S.

AU - Tytgat, M.

AU - Van Onsem, G. P.

AU - Van Putte, S.

AU - Vannerom, D.

AU - Bilin, B.

AU - Clerbaux, B.

AU - Das, A. K.

AU - De Lentdecker, G.

AU - Evard, H.

AU - Favart, L.

AU - Gianneios, P.

AU - Jaramillo, J.

AU - Khalilzadeh, A.

AU - Khan, F. A.

AU - Lee, K.

AU - Mahdavikhorrami, M.

AU - Malara, A.

PY - 2025/3

Y1 - 2025/3

N2 - Three rare decay processes of the Higgs boson to a ρ(770)0, ϕ(1020), or K⁎(892)0 meson and a photon are searched for using s=13TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Events are selected assuming the mesons decay into a pair of charged pions, a pair of charged kaons, or a charged kaon and pion, respectively. Depending on the Higgs boson production mode, different triggering and reconstruction techniques are adopted. The analyzed data sets correspond to integrated luminosities up to 138fb−1, depending on the reconstructed final state. After combining various data sets and categories, no significant excess above the background expectations is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level on the Higgs boson branching fractions into ρ(770)0γ, ϕ(1020)γ, and K⁎(892)0γ are determined to be 3.7×10−4, 3.0×10−4, and 3.0×10−4, respectively. In case of the ρ(770)0γ and ϕ(1020)γ channels, these are the most stringent experimental limits to date.

AB - Three rare decay processes of the Higgs boson to a ρ(770)0, ϕ(1020), or K⁎(892)0 meson and a photon are searched for using s=13TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Events are selected assuming the mesons decay into a pair of charged pions, a pair of charged kaons, or a charged kaon and pion, respectively. Depending on the Higgs boson production mode, different triggering and reconstruction techniques are adopted. The analyzed data sets correspond to integrated luminosities up to 138fb−1, depending on the reconstructed final state. After combining various data sets and categories, no significant excess above the background expectations is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level on the Higgs boson branching fractions into ρ(770)0γ, ϕ(1020)γ, and K⁎(892)0γ are determined to be 3.7×10−4, 3.0×10−4, and 3.0×10−4, respectively. In case of the ρ(770)0γ and ϕ(1020)γ channels, these are the most stringent experimental limits to date.

KW - CMS

KW - Higgs

KW - Rare decays

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85217120609

U2 - 10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139296

DO - 10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139296

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85217120609

SN - 0370-2693

VL - 862

JO - Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics

JF - Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics

M1 - 139296

ER -