Constraints on Higgs boson properties using WW^∗(→ eνμν) jj production in 36.1^fb-1 of √s=13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

Abstract

This article presents the results of two studies of Higgs boson properties using the $WW^*(\rightarrow e\nu\mu\nu)jj$ final state, based on a dataset corresponding to 36.1/fb of $\sqrt{s}$=13 TeV proton$-$proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The first study targets Higgs boson production via gluon$-$gluon fusion and constrains the CP properties of the effective Higgs$-$gluon interaction. Using angular distributions and the overall rate, a value of $\tan(\alpha) = 0.0 \pm 0.4$ stat. $ \pm 0.3$ syst is obtained for the tangent of the mixing angle for CP-even and CP-odd contributions. The second study exploits the vector-boson fusion production mechanism to probe the Higgs boson couplings to longitudinally and transversely polarised $W$ and $Z$ bosons in both the production and the decay of the Higgs boson; these couplings have not been directly constrained previously. The polarisation-dependent coupling-strength scale factors are defined as the ratios of the measured polarisation-dependent coupling strengths to those predicted by the Standard Model, and are determined using rate and kinematic information to be $a_L=0.91^{+0.10}{-0.18}$(stat.)$^{+0.09}{-0.17}$(syst.) and $a_{T}=1.2 \pm 0.4 $(stat.)$ ^{+0.2}{-0.3} $(syst.). These coupling strengths are translated into pseudo-observables, resulting in $\kappa{VV}= 0.91^{+0.10}{-0.18}$(stat.)$^{+0.09}{-0.17}$(syst.) and $\epsilon_{VV} =0.13^{+0.28}{-0.20}$ (stat.)$^{+0.08}{-0.10}$(syst.). All results are consistent with the Standard Model predictions.