Validation of the Higgs boson spin-parity analysis with $Z \rightarrow 4l$ data

A validation of the matrix element likelihood approach, used to study the spin-parity and anomalous interactions of the Higgs boson, is presented. Data from $pp$ collisions, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.1$ fb$^{-1}$ at center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV and $19.7$ fb$^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV, have been recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC. The analysis is applied to study the $Z$ boson, which already has established Standard Model properties, allowing for presence of an alternative Higgs boson with the same mass and width as the $Z$ boson, in the decay channel $Z$ or $H(91.2)\rightarrow 4l$. The non-resonant $q\bar{q} \rightarrow 4l$ contribution is parameterized, including interference with $q\bar{q} \rightarrow Z \rightarrow 4l$, and its effective fractional cross section is fitted in the data. The alternative Higgs-like hypothesis $H(91.2)$ is excluded at higher than $99.99\%$ confidence level.