An iterative discriminant analysis method to search for the Higgs particle at LEP2

The search for the Higgs boson in e+e− collisions at energies above the Z0 mass requires an efficient method to reject the many background channels. We have investigated an iterated discriminant analysis to detect the signal of a Higgs boson produced in association with neutrinos. An efficiency for a 70 GeV/c2 Higgs particle of 50% and a background rejection factor of 290 000 have been achieved. The optimization and performance of the iterated discriminant analysis are described.