Spanning forests and the q-state Potts model in the limit q \to 0

We study the q-state Potts model with nearest-neighbor coupling v=e^{\beta J}-1 in the limit q,v \to 0 with the ratio w = v/q held fixed. Combinatorially, this limit gives rise to the generating polynomial of spanning forests; physically, it provides information about the Potts-model phase diagram in the neighborhood of (q,v) = (0,0). We have studied this model on the square and triangular lattices, using a transfer-matrix approach at both real and complex values of w. For both lattices, we have computed the symbolic transfer matrices for cylindrical strips of widths 2 \le L \le 10, as well as the limiting curves of partition-function zeros in the complex w-plane. For real w, we find two distinct phases separated by a transition point w=w_0, where w_0 = -1/4 (resp. w_0 = -0.1753 \pm 0.0002) for the square (resp. triangular) lattice. For w > w_0 we find a non-critical disordered phase, while for w < w_0 our results are compatible with a massless Berker-Kadanoff phase with conformal charge c = -2 and leading thermal scaling dimension x_{T,1} = 2 (marginal operator). At w = w_0 we find a "first-order critical point": the first derivative of the free energy is discontinuous at w_0, while the correlation length diverges as w \downarrow w_0 (and is infinite at w = w_0). The critical behavior at w = w_0 seems to be the same for both lattices and it differs from that of the Berker-Kadanoff phase: our results suggest that the conformal charge is c = -1, the leading thermal scaling dimension is x_{T,1} = 0, and the critical exponents are \nu = 1/d = 1/2 and \alpha = 1.Comment: 131 pages (LaTeX2e). Includes tex file, three sty files, and 65 Postscript figures. Also included are Mathematica files forests_sq_2-9P.m and forests_tri_2-9P.m. Final journal versio

Search for neutral resonances decaying into a Z boson and a pair of b jets or τ leptons

A search is performed for a new resonance decaying into a lighter resonance and a Z boson. Two channels are studied, targeting the decay of the lighter resonance into either a pair of oppositely charged τ leptons or a bb‾ pair. The Z boson is identified via its decays to electrons or muons. The search exploits data collected by the CMS experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.8 fb −1 . No significant deviations are observed from the standard model expectation and limits are set on production cross sections and parameters of two-Higgs-doublet models

Search for vectorlike charge 2/3 T quarks in proton-proton collisions at root(s)=8 TeV

Peer reviewe

Measurement of the t-channel single-top-quark production cross section and of the |Vtb| CKM matrix element in pp collisions at SQR = 8 TeV

Measurements are presented of the t -channel single-top-quark production cross section in proton-proton collisions at s&#8730; = 8 TeV. The results are based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb &#8722;1 recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC. The cross section is measured inclusively, as well as separately for top (t) and antitop (t¯) , in final states with a muon or an electron. The measured inclusive t -channel cross section is &#963; t -ch. = 83 . 6 ± 2 . 3 (stat.) ± 7 . 4 (syst.) pb. The single t and t¯ cross sections are measured to be &#963; t -ch. ( t ) = 53 . 8 ± 1 . 5 (stat.) ± 4 . 4 (syst.) pb and &#963; t -ch. (t¯) = 27 . 6 ± 1 . 3 (stat.) ± 3 . 7 (syst.) pb, respectively. The measured ratio of cross sections is R t -ch. = &#963; t -ch. (t) /&#963; t -ch. (t¯) = 1 . 95 ± 0 . 10 (stat.) ± 0 . 19 (syst.), in agreement with the standard model prediction. The modulus of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element V tb is extracted and, in combination with a previous CMS result at s&#8730; = 7 TeV, a value | V tb | = 0 . 998 ± 0 . 038 (exp.) ± 0 . 016 (theo.) is obtained

Search for a low-mass pseudoscalar Higgs boson produced in association with a bb⁻ pair in pp collisions at √s=8 TeV

A search is reported for a light pseudoscalar Higgs boson decaying to a pair of tau leptons, produced in association with a b (b) over bar pair, in the context of two-Higgs-doublet models. The results are based on pp collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1). Pseudoscalar boson masses between 25 and 80 GeV are probed. No evidence for a pseudoscalar boson is found and upper limits are set on the product of cross section and branching fraction to tau pairs between 7 and 39 pb at the 95% confidence level. This excludes pseudoscalar A bosons with masses between 25 and 80 GeV, with SM-like Higgs boson negative couplings to down-type fermions, produced in association with bb pairs, in Type II, two-Higgs-doublet models. (C) 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommonnorg/licensesiby/4.01)

Search for new phenomena in monophoton final states in proton-proton collisions at √s=TeV

Results are presented from a search for new physics in final states containing a photon and missing transverse momentum. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.6 fb−1 collected in proton–proton collisions at s=8 TeV with the CMS experiment at the LHC. No deviation from the standard model predictions is observed for these final states. New, improved limits are set on dark matter production and on parameters of models with large extra dimensions. In particular, the first limits from the LHC on branon production are found and significantly extend previous limits from LEP and the Tevatron. An upper limit of 14.0 fb on the cross section is set at the 95% confidence level for events with a monophoton final state with photon transverse momentum greater than 145 GeV and missing transverse momentum greater than 140 GeV