Search for new physics in the final state with a single photon and large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

Abstract

A search for new physics in events featuring a single photon and missing transverse momentum is presented, using proton-proton $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC between 2017 and 2018. This analysis, combined with a previous study of 36 fb$^{-1}$ of 2016 data (totaling 137 fb$^{-1}$), reveals no significant deviations from standard model expectations. The results are then used to establish 95% confidence level limits on parameters in theoretical models involving dark matter and large extra dimensions. Compared to the 2016-only analysis, this search achieves up to a 14% improvement in exclusion reach for mediator masses in simplified dark matter models, along with 11% and 1% enhancements in the limits on the effective field theory suppression scale and the fundamental Planck scale, respectively. These results are the most stringent constraints on these parameters to date.