Evidence for the light-by-light scattering process, γγ → γγ , in ultraperipheral PbPb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5.02 TeV is reported. The analysis is conducted using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 390 μb−1 recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Light-by-light scattering processes are selected in events with two photons exclusively produced, each with transverse energy EγT > 2 GeV, pseudorapidity |ηγ | < 2.4, diphoton invariant mass mγγ > 5 GeV, diphoton transverse momentum pγγT < 1 GeV, and diphoton acoplanarity below 0.01. After all selection criteria are applied, 14 events are observed, compared to expectations of 9.0 ± 0.9 (theo) events for the signal and 4.0 ± 1.2 (stat) for the background processes. The excess observed in data relative to the background-only expectation corresponds to a significance of 3.7 standard deviations, and has properties consistent with those expected for the light-by-light scattering signal. The measured fiducial light-by-light scattering cross section, σfid(γγ → γγ ) = 120±46 (stat)±28 (syst)±12 (theo) nb, is consistent with the standard model prediction. The mγγ distribution is used to set new exclusion limits on the production of pseudoscalar axion-like particles, via the γγ → a → γγ process, in the mass range ma = 5–90 GeV.

Sirunyan A.M., Tumasyan A., Adam W., Ambrogi F., Asilar E., Bergauer T., et al. (2019). Evidence for light-by-light scattering and searches for axion-like particles in ultraperipheral PbPb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV. PHYSICS LETTERS. SECTION B, 797, 1-27 [10.1016/j.physletb.2019.134826].

Evidence for light-by-light scattering and searches for axion-like particles in ultraperipheral PbPb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV

Battilana C.;Bonacorsi D.;Borgonovi L.;Braibant-Giacomelli S.;Castro A.;Cuffiani M.;Fanfani A.;Fontanesi E.;Guiducci L.;Primavera F.;Rovelli T.;Siroli G. P.;
2019

Abstract

Evidence for the light-by-light scattering process, γγ → γγ , in ultraperipheral PbPb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5.02 TeV is reported. The analysis is conducted using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 390 μb−1 recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Light-by-light scattering processes are selected in events with two photons exclusively produced, each with transverse energy EγT > 2 GeV, pseudorapidity |ηγ | < 2.4, diphoton invariant mass mγγ > 5 GeV, diphoton transverse momentum pγγT < 1 GeV, and diphoton acoplanarity below 0.01. After all selection criteria are applied, 14 events are observed, compared to expectations of 9.0 ± 0.9 (theo) events for the signal and 4.0 ± 1.2 (stat) for the background processes. The excess observed in data relative to the background-only expectation corresponds to a significance of 3.7 standard deviations, and has properties consistent with those expected for the light-by-light scattering signal. The measured fiducial light-by-light scattering cross section, σfid(γγ → γγ ) = 120±46 (stat)±28 (syst)±12 (theo) nb, is consistent with the standard model prediction. The mγγ distribution is used to set new exclusion limits on the production of pseudoscalar axion-like particles, via the γγ → a → γγ process, in the mass range ma = 5–90 GeV.
2019
Sirunyan A.M., Tumasyan A., Adam W., Ambrogi F., Asilar E., Bergauer T., et al. (2019). Evidence for light-by-light scattering and searches for axion-like particles in ultraperipheral PbPb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV. PHYSICS LETTERS. SECTION B, 797, 1-27 [10.1016/j.physletb.2019.134826].
Sirunyan A.M.; Tumasyan A.; Adam W.; Ambrogi F.; Asilar E.; Bergauer T.; Brandstetter J.; Dragicevic M.; Ero J.; Escalante Del Valle A.; Flechl M.; Fr...espandi
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