Mass limits for a standard model Higgs Boson in e+e− collisions at LEP

A search for the minimal standard model Higgs boson has been performed with data from e+e− collisions in the OPAL detector at LEP. The analysis is based on 825 nb−1 of data taken at centre-of-mass energies between 88.3 and 95.0 GeV. The search concentrated on the reactions e+e−→(e+e− or μ+μ− or vv)H0,H0→(qq or τ+τ−), for Higgs masses above 3 GeV/c2. No Higgs boson candidates have been observed. The present study excludes the existence of a standard model H0 with mass in the range 3.0⩽mH⩽19.3 GeV/c2 at the 95% confidence level.