Search for pair production of additional neutral scalars within the Inert Doublet Model in a final state with two electrons or two muons in proton-proton collisions at √s=13 TeV and 13.6 TeV
8 affiliations
- 1Yerevan Physics Institute
- 2Yerevan State University
- 3Marietta Blau Institute for Particle Physics
- 4TU Wien
- 5Universiteit Antwerpen
- 6Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- 7Ghent University
- 8Université Libre de Bruxelles
Abstract
A bstract : A first dedicated search for pair production of new scalars predicted by the Inert Doublet Model is performed using proton-proton collisions. Data were collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC at √s=13 TeV and 13.6 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 138 fb − 1 and 35 fb − 1 , respectively. Within this model, four additional scalar bosons (H, A, H ⁺ , and H − ) are predicted. Through an additional discrete symmetry, the lightest new scalar, H, is stable, rendering it a viable dark matter candidate. These candidates can originate from quark-antiquark annihilation producing an offshell Z boson that decays to a pair of the new scalars. The target final state consists of exactly two opposite-charge same-flavour leptons (electrons or muons), with missing transverse momentum due to the stable neutral scalars, and very little hadronic activity. A parameterised neural network is used to separate the signal from the standard model background. No significant excess of events is observed. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are set on the production cross section of the two new neutral scalars, H and A, expressed in terms of their masses, m H and m A , in the m H vs. m A − m H plane. The observed (expected) exclusion region reaches m H = 108 (106) GeV for m A − m H = 78 (76) GeV and at m H = 70 GeV, covers the range of m A − m H = 40–90 (35–90) GeV.
Versions
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BibTeX
@article{collaboration2026search,
title = {{Search for pair production of additional neutral scalars within the Inert Doublet Model in a final state with two electrons or two muons in proton-proton collisions at $$\sqrts=13$$ TeV and 13.6 TeV}},
author = {The CMS collaboration and A. Gevorgyan and A. Hayrapetyan and V. Makarenko and A. Tumasyan and W. Adam and L. Benato and T. Bergauer and M. Dragicevic and S. Gundacker and P. S. Hussain and M. Jeitler and N. Krammer and A. Li and D. Liko and M. Matthewman and J. Schieck and R. Schöfbeck and M. Shooshtari and M. Sonawane and N. Van Den Bossche and W. Waltenberger and C.-E. Wulz and T. Janssen and H. Kwon and D. Ocampo Henao and T. Van Laer and P. Van Mechelen and D. Ahmadi and J. Bierkens and N. Breugelmans and J. D’Hondt and S. Dansana and A. De Moor and M. Delcourt and C. Gupta and F. Heyen and Y. Hong and P. Kashko and S. Lowette and I. Makarenko and S. Nandakumar and S. Tavernier and M. Tytgat and G. P. Van Onsem and S. Van Putte and D. Vannerom and T. Wybouw and A. Beshr and B. Bilin and F. Caviglia Roman and B. Clerbaux and A. K. Das and I. De Bruyn and G. De Lentdecker and E. Ducarme and H. Evard and L. Favart and A. Khalilzadeh and A. Malara},
journal = {Journal of High Energy Physics},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/jhep10(2026)249},
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP10(2026)249},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Search for pair production of additional neutral scalars within the Inert Doublet Model in a final state with two electrons or two muons in proton-proton collisions at √s=13 TeV and 13.6 TeV
AU - The CMS collaboration
AU - A. Gevorgyan
AU - A. Hayrapetyan
AU - V. Makarenko
AU - A. Tumasyan
AU - W. Adam
AU - L. Benato
AU - T. Bergauer
AU - M. Dragicevic
AU - S. Gundacker
AU - P. S. Hussain
AU - M. Jeitler
AU - N. Krammer
AU - A. Li
AU - D. Liko
AU - M. Matthewman
AU - J. Schieck
AU - R. Schöfbeck
AU - M. Shooshtari
AU - M. Sonawane
AU - N. Van Den Bossche
AU - W. Waltenberger
AU - C.-E. Wulz
AU - T. Janssen
AU - H. Kwon
AU - D. Ocampo Henao
AU - T. Van Laer
AU - P. Van Mechelen
AU - D. Ahmadi
AU - J. Bierkens
AU - N. Breugelmans
AU - J. D’Hondt
AU - S. Dansana
AU - A. De Moor
AU - M. Delcourt
AU - C. Gupta
AU - F. Heyen
AU - Y. Hong
AU - P. Kashko
AU - S. Lowette
AU - I. Makarenko
AU - S. Nandakumar
AU - S. Tavernier
AU - M. Tytgat
AU - G. P. Van Onsem
AU - S. Van Putte
AU - D. Vannerom
AU - T. Wybouw
AU - A. Beshr
AU - B. Bilin
AU - F. Caviglia Roman
AU - B. Clerbaux
AU - A. K. Das
AU - I. De Bruyn
AU - G. De Lentdecker
AU - E. Ducarme
AU - H. Evard
AU - L. Favart
AU - A. Khalilzadeh
AU - A. Malara
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Journal of High Energy Physics
DO - 10.1007/jhep10(2026)249
UR - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP10(2026)249
AB - A bstract : A first dedicated search for pair production of new scalars predicted by the Inert Doublet Model is performed using proton-proton collisions. Data were collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC at √s=13 TeV and 13.6 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 138 fb − 1 and 35 fb − 1 , respectively. Within this model, four additional scalar bosons (H, A, H ⁺ , and H − ) are predicted. Through an additional discrete symmetry, the lightest new scalar, H, is stable, rendering it a viable dark matter candidate. These candidates can originate from quark-antiquark annihilation producing an offshell Z boson that decays to a pair of the new scalars. The target final state consists of exactly two opposite-charge same-flavour leptons (electrons or muons), with missing transverse momentum due to the stable neutral scalars, and very little hadronic activity. A parameterised neural network is used to separate the signal from the standard model background. No significant excess of events is observed. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are set on the production cross section of the two new neutral scalars, H and A, expressed in terms of their masses, m H and m A , in the m H vs. m A − m H plane. The observed (expected) exclusion region reaches m H = 108 (106) GeV for m A − m H = 78 (76) GeV and at m H = 70 GeV, covers the range of m A − m H = 40–90 (35–90) GeV.
SN - 1029-8479
ER -