Search for a standard model-like Higgs boson in the mu+ mu- and e+ e- decay channels at the LHC

Understand

A search is presented for a standard model-like Higgs boson decaying to muon pair or electron pair final states based on proton-proton collisions recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC.

• The data correspond to integrated luminosities of 5.0 inverse femtobarns at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and 19.7 inverse femtobarns at 8 TeV for the muon search, and of 19.7 inverse femtobarns at 8 TeV for the electron search.
• Upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction at the 95% confidence level are reported for Higgs boson masses in the range from 120 to 150 GeV.
• For a Higgs boson with a mass of 125 GeV decaying to muons, the observed (expected) upper limit on the production rate is found to be 7.4 (6.5 +2.8 -1.9) times the standard model value.