Search for central exclusive $\gamma\gamma$ production and observation of central exclusive $\text{e}^+\text{e}^-$ production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$\,TeV

We present a search for central exclusive $\gamma\gamma$ production, $\text{p}\text{p} \to \text{p}+\gamma\gamma+\text{p}$, and the observation of central exclusive $\text{e}^+\text{e}^-$ production, $\text{p}\text{p} \to \text{p}+\text{e}^+\text{e}^-+\text{p}$, in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$\,TeV, for an integrated luminosity of 36\,$\text{pb}^{-1}$. No diphoton candidate satisfies the selection criteria. An upper limit on the cross section for $E_{\text{T}}(\gamma) > 5.5\,\text{GeV}$ and $\vert\eta(\gamma)\vert < 2.5$ is set at 1.30 pb with 95\% confidence level. Seventeen exclusive $\text{e}^+\text{e}^-$ candidates are observed, along with an estimated background of $0.84\pm0.28\,\text{(stat.)}$ events, in agreement with the QED-based prediction of $16.5\pm1.2\,\text{(syst.)}$ events.