SearcharxivSearch

arXiv · 1408.4662

Light Stop Decays: Implications for LHC Searches

Abstract

We investigate the flavour-changing neutral current decay of the lightest stop into a charm quark and the lightest neutralino and its four-body decay into the lightest neutralino, a down-type quark and a fermion pair. These are the relevant stop search channels in the low-mass region. The SUSY-QCD corrections to the two-body decay have been calculated for the first time and turn out to be sizeable. In the four-body decay both the contributions from diagrams with flavour-changing neutral current (FCNC) couplings and the mass effects of final state bottom quarks and $\tau$ leptons have been taken into account, which are not available in the literature so far. The resulting branching ratios are investigated in detail. We find that in either of the decay channels the branching ratios can deviate significantly from one in large parts of the allowed parameter range. Taking this into account, the experimental exclusion limits on the stop, which are based on the assumption of branching ratios equal to one, are considerably weakened. This should be taken into account in future searches for light stops at the next run of the LHC, where the probed low stop mass region will be extended.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

R. Grober, M. Muhlleitner, E. Popenda, A. Wlotzka. 2014-08-20. Light Stop Decays: Implications for LHC Searches. https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-015-3626-z

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Axionic Wormholes in Metric-Affine Gravity

The axion is a promising candidate for solving the strong CP problem. To solve this problem, the global U(1) symmetry must be preserved to a high degree of accuracy. However, it is well known that global symmetries are explicitly violated by quantum gravity effects, giving rise to what is referred to as the axion quality problem. In this paper, we investigate axionic wormholes as a source of explicit U(1) violation in Metric-Affine Gravity. This framework allows for spacetime torsion and non-metricity, which accommodate additional curvature-like and topological terms, such as the Holst and Nieh--Yan terms, that are absent from the metric and Palatini formalisms. We show that non-minimal couplings to these terms modify the wormhole dynamics and enhance the Euclidean wormhole action, thereby alleviating the axion quality problem. We also find that the viable parameter space is enlarged when two of these couplings are simultaneously present. We further identify representative parameter regions where the alleviation of the axion quality problem is compatible with inflationary constraints.

hep-ph

Qubit-Qutrit Quantum Tomography of hadronic $\Lambda\phi$ and $\Lambda K^{\ast 0}$ systems

Quantum-information observables have emerged in recent years as new tools in nuclear and particle physics, from entanglement in top-quark pairs to spin correlations in $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$ production. Extending these studies to unequal-spin hadronic final states poses a fundamental challenge: the $6\times6$ density matrix of a qubit-qutrit system contains 35 independent spin parameters, but the decays of $\Lambda V$ pairs, with $V=\phi$ or $K^{*0}$, provide access to only 23 due to the hidden vector polarization from the strong decay. In this Letter, we formulate a qubit-qutrit quantum tomography (QQQT) technique for these spin-$\tfrac{1}{2}\otimes1$ systems and establish exact criteria for entanglement certification from the \textit{incomplete} density matrix. Compared with the $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$ system, QQQT of $\Lambda\phi$ and $\Lambda K^{*0}$ provides a new probe of nonperturbative QCD hadronization, enabling a direct comparison of the spin evolution of entangled quark pairs produced from the vacuum as they hadronize into a baryon or a vector meson.

hep-ph

Twist decomposition of exclusive heavy meson production cross sections

We study the twist decomposition of the total cross sections for exclusive heavy vector meson electroproduction and photoproduction in the $\gamma^\ast p$ processes, within the leading logarithmic $1/x$ BFKL formalism. The Mellin transforms of the impact factors of the vector meson are calculated. We show that the higher twist contributions are strongly suppressed in the low-$x$ kinematical regime. Possible enhancement of the higher twists effects for nuclei targets is discussed.

hep-ph