Search for the Standard Model Higgs boson at LEP

Abstract

The combined results of the search for the Standard Model Higgs boson from the four LEP experiments are given. These results are based on the full data sample collected by ALEPH, DELPHI, L3 and OPAL at centre-of-mass energies up to 209GeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of about 2.5fb-1. A slight excess of events over the background expectation is found at the 2sigma level, originating mainly from the ALEPH 4-jet channel. This excess is compatible with what expected for the production of a SM Higgs boson with a mass of 115.6GeV/c2. A combined 95% confidence level lower limit of 114.1GeV/c2 on the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson is derived.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, La Thuile 2002 proceeding