Measurement of Z → bb̄ cross section and search for a Higgslike particle produced in association with b quarks at CDF

Abstract

We present a measurement of the Z → bb̄ production cross section in pp collisions at √s = 1.96 TeV . We use a data set of 5.46 fb-1 collected by the CDF experiment at the Tevatron collider during Run II using a dedicated trigger path which required a displaced vertex compatible with a b-hadron decay. A data-driven procedure is applied to estimate the dijet mass spectrum of the non-resonant multijet background. Using a similar strategy we set one of the most stringent upper limits on the production of a Higgs-like particle in association with b quarks. We also set a limit on the inclusive SM H → bb̄.