Search for Higgs to invisible decays in vector boson fusion production

Abstract

A search for invisibly decaying Higgs bosons is performed using the vector boson fusion production (VBF) mode. This search was conducted using Run 2 data, collected by the CMS detector at the LHC in 2016 at a center of mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.9 fb-1. The control regions for the signal, invisibly decaying VBF Higgs bosons, are estimated using a cut-based selection strategy adapted from prior analyses. Selection criteria for the signal is applied as well. Assuming standard model Higgs boson cross sections and acceptances, the observed (expected) upper limit on the signal strength of VBF Higgs bosons invisibly decaying at mH = 125 GeV is found to be r < 54.7 (51.8) at a 95% confidence level