Abstract
A direct search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a pair of charm quarks is presented. Associated production of the Higgs and π bosons, in the decay mode πβ’π» ββ+β’βββ’πβ’Β―π is studied. A data set with an integrated luminosity of 36.1ββfbβ1 of πβ’π collisions at βπ =13β’TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC is used. The π» βπβ’Β―π signature is identified using charm-tagging algorithms. The observed (expected) upper limit on πβ‘(πβ’π βπβ’π») Γβ¬β‘(π» βπβ’Β―π) is 2.7 (3.9+2.1β1.1) pb at the 95% confidence level for a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV, while the standard model value is 26 fb.