Search for high-mass exclusive γγ → WW and γγ → ZZ production in proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 13 TeV

Abstract

Abstract A search is performed for exclusive high-mass γγ → WW and γγ → ZZ production in proton-proton collisions using intact forward protons reconstructed in near-beam detectors, with both weak bosons decaying into boosted and merged jets. The analysis is based on a sample of proton-proton collisions collected by the CMS and TOTEM experiments at $$ \sqrt{s} $$<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msqrt> <mml:mi>s</mml:mi> </mml:msqrt> </mml:math> = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 100 fb−1. No excess above the standard model background prediction is observed, and upper limits are set on the pp → pWWp and pp → pZZp cross sections in a fiducial region defined by the diboson invariant mass m(VV) &gt; 1 TeV (with V = W, Z) and proton fractional momentum loss 0.04 &lt; ξ &lt; 0.20. The results are interpreted as new limits on dimension-6 and dimension-8 anomalous quartic gauge couplings.