Search for high-mass exclusive γγ →ww and γγ →zz production in proton-proton collisions at √s=13 TeV

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 nearbeam 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 √s = 13TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 100fb−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) > 1TeV (with V = W,Z) and proton fractional momentum loss 0.04 < ξ < 0.20. The results are interpreted as new limits on dimension-6 and dimension-8 anomalous quartic gauge couplings.