Neutral Higgs boson mass constraints in the minimal supersymmetric standard model from searches in $\rm e^+e^-$ collisions

Abstract.

Unexcluded mass regions are revealed by an analysis of Higgs boson searches at LEP2 in the framework of the MSSM. Previous interpretations of the LEP2 data for Higgs boson searches are based on only a few combinations of supersymmetric parameters. An independent variation of the relevant supersymmetric parameters is performed. Cancellation effects of production cross sections can occur and thus some parameter regions are not excluded in this more general framework. The combined luminosity from the four LEP experiments is required to exclude most of the critical parameter combinations. The sensitivity reach for the 1997 LEP data-taking at 183 GeV is studied.