In this Letter, we present a precise measurement of the total $ZZ$ production cross section in $p\overline{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96\mathrm{TeV}$, using data collected with the CDF II detector corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately $6{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The result is obtained by combining separate measurements in the four-charged ($\ell \ell {\ell }^{\prime }{\ell }^{\prime }$) and two-charged-lepton and two-neutral-lepton ($\ell \ell \nu \nu$) decay modes of the $Z$ boson pair. The combined measured cross section for $p\overline{p}\to ZZ$ is ${1.64}_{-0.38}^{+0.44}\mathrm{pb}$. This is the most precise measurement of the $ZZ$ production cross section in 1.96 TeV $p\overline{p}$ collisions to date.

• Received 14 December 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.101801