Search for a heavy pseudoscalar boson decaying to a Z and a Higgs boson at $$\sqrt{s}=13\,\text {Te}\text {V} $$ s = 13 Te

Abstract

Abstract A search is presented for a heavy pseudoscalar boson

$$\text {A}$$

A

decaying to a Z boson and a Higgs boson with mass of 125

$$\,\text {GeV}$$

GeV

. In the final state considered, the Higgs boson decays to a bottom quark and antiquark, and the Z boson decays either into a pair of electrons, muons, or neutrinos. The analysis is performed using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9

$$\,\text {fb}^{-1}$$

fb

- 1

collected in 2016 by the CMS experiment at the LHC from proton–proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13

$$\,\text {Te}\text {V}$$

Te

. The data are found to be consistent with the background expectations. Exclusion limits are set in the context of two-Higgs-doublet models in the

$$\text {A}$$

A

boson mass range between 225 and 1000

$$\,\text {GeV}$$

GeV

.