A Search For The Sm Higgs Boson In The Process Zhllbb In 4.1/fb Of Cdf Ii Data

<p>This dissertation presents a search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson in the associated production process ZH → l⁺l_- bb using 4.1fb^-1 of Tevatron collision data collected with the CDF II detector.</p> <p>To increase the sensitivity to a ZH signal over previous CDF searches, we implement new electron and expanded b-jet identification algorithms.</p> <p>We utilize neural network classifiers enhanced with matrix element probabilities, a b-jet identifying neural network, and multivariate jet energy corrections to maximize the separation of signal from SM backgrounds.</p> <p>We employ three neural network classifiers separately optimized for each of our three b-tag categories.</p> <p>We find good agreement between the observed data and the predicted SM backgrounds.</p> <p>The neural network output for data is compared to the output for the expected SM background to set 95% confidence level upper limits on the ZH production cross section times the branching ratio for H→ bb.</p> <p>We consider Higgs boson masses between 100 and 150 GeV/c² in 5 GeV steps.</p> <p>For a Higgs boson mass of 115 GeV/c² we observe (expect) a 95% confidence level upper limit of 5.9(6.8).</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics and Astronomy

Year dc:date.available

2010

Author dc:creator

• Shalhout, Shalhout Zaki

Contributors dc:contributor

• Robert Harr

• CDF
• Higgs
• Standard Model
• Tevatron
• ZH
• Elementary Particles and Fields and String Theory

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/29

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.wayne.edu:oa_dissertations-1028