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Abstract:
We present a search for Standard Model (SM) Higgs to WW* production in
dilepton plus MET channels using approximately 4.8 fb-1 of integrated
luminosity. In order to maximize sensitivity, the multivariate discriminants have
been optimized separately for final states with either zero, one, or two or more
identified jets. To obtain the best possible sensitivity, we account for potential
Higgs signal contibutions originating from gluon fusion, associated production with
either a W or Z boson, and vector boson fusion. We also incorporate an analysis of
a same-sign dilepton event sample which can potentially contain additional signal
events arising from the associated Higgs boson production mechanisms. In the
opposite-sign event sample we observe (summing over all jet bins) a total of 1467
candidate events compared against an expectation of 1479 ± 141 background
events and 25.4 ± 3.1 signal events for a SM Higgs boson with a mass of 165
GeV/c2. In the same-sign event sample we additionally observe 64 candidate
events compared with an expectation of 62 ± 11 background events and 1.7
± 0.2 signal events. Based on these samples, we determine an observed 95% C.L.
upper cross section limit of 1.25 times the SM prediction at NNLL for a Higgs mass of
165 GeV/c2 to be compared with the value for the median of the expected
limit (1.28). Results for thirteen other Higgs mass hypotheses ranging from 110
GeV/c2 to 200 GeV/c2 are also presented.
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