A search for new physics in central exclusive production using the missing mass technique with the CMS detector and the CMS-TOTEM precision proton spectrometer

Abstract

Abstract A generic search is presented for the associated production of a Z boson or a photon with an additional unspecified massive particle X,

$${\textrm{pp}}\rightarrow {\textrm{pp}} +{{\textrm{Z}}}/\upgamma +{{\textrm{X}}} $$

pp → pp + Z / γ + X

, in proton-tagged events from proton–proton collisions at

$$\sqrt{s}=13\, \textrm{TeV}$$

s

= 13

TeV

, recorded in 2017 with the CMS detector and the CMS-TOTEM precision proton spectrometer. The missing mass spectrum is analysed in the 600–1600 GeV range and a fit is performed to search for possible deviations from the background expectation. No significant excess in data with respect to the background predictions has been observed. Model-independent upper limits on the visible production cross section of

$${\textrm{pp}}\rightarrow {\textrm{pp}} +{{\textrm{Z}}}/\upgamma +{{\textrm{X}}} $$

pp → pp + Z / γ + X

are set.