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Atri Dey

Publications and source records attributed to Atri Dey.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

Soft-Dimuon Signature from Two-Component Scalar Dark Matter at the LHC

We explore the potential of the Large Hadron Collider to probe a two-component scalar dark matter scenario in the opposite-sign dimuon plus missing transverse energy final state, accompanied by a hard jet. The signal features a soft dimuon system with an invariant mass well below $m_Z$. We consider a 3-Higgs Doublet Model with one active and two inert scalar doublets, where a $Z_2 \times Z_2'$ symmetry stabilises the lightest neutral scalar in each inert sector, yielding two scalar DM candidates. The relevant parameter space is mapped in terms of the two DM masses and the mass splittings between each DM candidate and its corresponding next-to-lightest scalar state. We perform a detector-level Monte Carlo analysis and design a dedicated cut-based selection, including a transverse-mass requirement adapted to the signal topology. For a representative benchmark, we obtain $S/B\simeq 9.8%$ and a statistical-only significance of $S/\sqrt{B}=1.35$ at Run 3 with ${\cal L}=300~{\rm fb}^{-1}$, increasing to $S/\sqrt{B}=4.93$ under a statistical-only extrapolation to ${\cal L}=4~{\rm ab}^{-1}$. Before the full selection, the two dark sectors generate a double-bump structure in the dimuon invariant-mass distribution. After the cuts optimised for inclusive sensitivity, however, this feature is not statistically robust enough to establish the two-component origin of the signal. The benchmark is underabundant and is interpreted as a subdominant two-component DM scenario, while the collider analysis remains independent of its cosmological abundance. Although the numerical study is carried out in the I(2+1)HDM, the results are applicable to weakly interacting sectors with similar electroweak associated production and cascade decays, where a heavier state separated from the DM candidate by less than $m_Z$ produces a soft muon pair via an off-shell $Z$ boson.

hep-ph

Electro-Weak Phase Transitions and Collider Signals in the Aligned 2-Higgs Doublet Model

We show that the Aligned 2-Higgs Doublet Model (A2HDM) is a framework able to simultaneously accommodate strong first order electro-weak phase transitions, in turn generating detectable gravitational waves as well as a variety of Higgs boson signals (involving both the Standard Model state and its companions, both neutral and charged) accessible at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We map the corresponding expanse of parameter space where such a phenomenology is realised in terms of the relative values of the masses of the discovered Higgs boson and the extended Higgs sector states of this model: two neutral ones (a CP-even and a CP-odd) plus a pair of charged ones. We find that both the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna experiment and High-Luminosity LHC can test such a scenario within their lifetime. This study thus sets the stage for a two-prong complementary approach able to scrutinise the extended Higgs sector of the A2HDM in both its high and low temperature manifestations.

hep-ph

Probing compressed triplet scalars with ISR jets and soft leptons at the LHC

The Type-II seesaw model predicts doubly and singly charged scalars along with neutral Higgs states originating from an $SU(2)$ triplet. Current LHC searches by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations constrain these particles mainly under the assumption that the doubly charged scalar decays dominantly into same-sign dileptons or dibosons. However, when moderate mass splittings exist among the triplet scalars, cascade decays can dominate, suppressing these conventional search channels and leaving sizeable regions of parameter space weakly constrained. We study this compressed region characterized by $1~\text{GeV} \lesssim \Delta M \lesssim 30~\text{GeV}$ and triplet vev $v_t \sim 10^{-7} - 10^{-3}$ GeV. In this scenario, charged scalars predominantly undergo cascade decays, while neutral scalars decay invisibly into neutrinos, leading to final states with soft leptons and missing transverse energy. We propose a dedicated search strategy at the 14 TeV LHC exploiting a hard initial-state radiation jet to boost the scalar system. Using a cut-and-count analysis, we show that discovery-level sensitivity can be achieved in this previously unexplored region with an integrated luminosity of $3000~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. Our results signify the importance of dedicated searches targeting cascade-dominated and compressed mass spectrum for beyond the standard model scenarios with an $SU(2)$ multiplet.

hep-ph

Searches for Extra Higgs Bosons using $t\bar{t}+$Higgs{{$(\to b\bar b)$}} Events within 2HDMs: Direct versus Indirect Probes

We study the possibility of establishing the production of additional Higgs states in the process $gg,q\bar q\to t\bar t \Phi$, where $\Phi$ = $H_{2,3}$, with $H_2$ being CP-even and $H_3$ being CP-odd, at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), by solely exploiting the kinematic features of the reconstructed $t\bar t$ system. We adopt as reference theoretical framework a generic CP-Conserving 2-Higgs Doublet Model (2HDM), which also accommodate a Standard Model (SM)-like Higgs state $H_1$. We show that the masses $m_{H_{2,3}}$ exhibit clear correlations with the $t\bar{t}$ system properties and could, in principle, be extracted from these. Moreover, the CP properties of the $H_{2,3}$ states can be determined, even when both states are produced simultaneously. We then compare the results produced using this method with those obtained from a full kinematic reconstruction of the $H_{2,3}$ decays in the most studied $b\bar b$ channel (we take $m_{H_{2,3}}< 2m_t$), thus proving the superiority of the approach here proposed. This paves the way to both the discovery and characterization of additional Higgs states produced {\sl inclusively} in association with top-antitop quark pairs, thereby dispensing of the complications intrinsic to the {\sl exclusive} reconstruction of such states from their decay products. We test this by establishing the sensitivity of our approach in the case of a Composite 2HDM (C2HDM), describing the Higges as pseudo-Nambu Goldstone Bosons (pNGBs) and naturally predicting Higgs mass spectra in the range of sensitivity of the described analysis.

hep-ph

Unfolding quantum entanglement from $h\to ZZ^*\to jj\ell\ell$ at a muon collider

We explore the potential to study quantum entanglement through Bell-type inequalities in Higgs boson decays at a future muon collider. Our analysis focuses on the channel $\mu^+ \mu^- \to \nu \bar{\nu} h \to \nu \bar{\nu} ZZ^*$, with one $Z$ decaying to charged leptons and the other decaying hadronically into jets. We study the violation of the CGLMP inequality using the optimal Bell operator for the bipartite qutrit system from $h \to ZZ^*$. The entanglement measure $\mathcal{I}_3$ is constructed from spin-correlated angular observables of the $Z$ decay products. An unfolding method on the angular variables is applied to correct for hadronization and detector effects, recovering the advantage of the hadronic mode with higher event yield and reduced uncertainty. The study is performed at 1, 3, and 10 TeV centre-of-mass energies, assuming 10 ab$^{-1}$ integrated luminosity for each case. At 1 TeV, we use a boosted decision tree for signal isolation, while at higher energies, simple cut-based analyses are sufficient. We find clear Bell inequality violation with the expected values $\mathcal{I}_3 = 2.625 \pm 0.012$, $2.623 \pm 0.004$, and $2.582 \pm 0.010$ for the 1, 3, and 10 TeV machines, respectively. Overall, a strong level of entanglement close to the maximum achievable value of 2.9149 for a two-qutrit system can be measured with very small uncertainties due to the large event yield in the hadronic mode.

hep-ph

Jet Substructure Analysis for Distinguishing Left- and Right-Handed Couplings of Heavy Neutrino in $W'$ Decay at the HL-LHC

The search for heavy $W'$ bosons in their decay modes to a lepton and a heavy neutrino offers a promising avenue for probing new physics beyond the Standard Model. This work focuses on such a signature with an energetic lepton plus a fat jet, originating from the heavy neutrino and containing a lepton. We have employed the jet substructure techniques to isolate the embedded lepton as a subjet of the fat jet. The Lepton Subjet Fraction ($LSF$) and Lepton Mass Drop ($LMD$) variables constructed from the lepton subjet help in separating the signal region from the background. We further study the polarization properties of the $W'$ coupling to the lepton and heavy neutrino through the decay products of the neutrino. Instead of relying on a specific model, we employ generic couplings and explore the discrimination power. Jet substructure-based angular variables $z_\ell$, $z_\theta$, and $z_k$ are combined to form BDT scores to obtain better separation power between left-chiral ($V-A$) and right-chiral ($V+A$) coupling configurations. By using $CL_s$ type profile likelihood estimator, we could achieve $\sim$ 2$\sigma$ $-$ 3$\sigma$ significance of excluding one coupling configuration in favour of the other.

hep-ph

On the CP Properties of Spin-0 Dark Matter

Aiming to uncover the CP properties of spin-0 particle Dark Matter (DM), we explore a two-component DM scenario within the framework of 3-Higgs Doublet Models (3HDMs), a well-motivated set-up previously studied due to the complementarity of its collider and astrophysical probes. We devise benchmark points in which the two components of DM have same CP in one case and opposite CP in another. We then show several cross section distributions of observables at collider experiments where the two cases are clearly distinguishable.

hep-ph

High scale validity of two Higgs doublet scenarios with a real scalar singlet dark matter

We study the high-scale validity of two kinds of two Higgs doublet models (2HDM), namely, Type-II and Type-X, but with a scalar SU(2) singlet dark matter (DM) candidate in addition in each case. The additional quartic couplings involving the DM particle in the scalar potential in both the scenarios bring in additional constraints from the requirement of perturbative unitarity and vacuum stability. DM relic density and direct search constraints play a crucial role in this analysis as the perturbative unitarity of the DM-Higgs portal couplings primarily decide the high scale validity of the model. We find that, within the parameter regions thus restricted, the Type-II scenario must have a cut-off at around $10^6$ GeV, while the Type-X scenario admits of validity upto the Planck scale. However, only those regions which are valid upto about $10^8$ GeV in Type-X 2HDM is amenable to detection at the High-luminosity LHC (upto 3000 $fb^{-1}$), while most of the parameter space of the Type-II scenario mentioned above is likely to be detectable.

hep-ph

Search for Lepton Flavor Violating Signals at the Future Electron-Proton Colliders

The search for lepton flavor violation (LFV) is a powerful probe to look for new physics beyond the Standard Model. We explored the possibility of searches for LFV $Z$ boson couplings to electron and muon pairs at the upcoming electron-proton colliders, namely the Large Hadron Electron Collider (LHeC) and the Future Circular lepton-hadron Collider (FCC-eh). We employed the study via a single muon plus an associated jet channel to search for the LFV signal. We used a multivariate technique to obtain an improved signal-background analysis. By using the condition on nonobservation of any significant deviation of the signal over the expected background, we provide an upper limit on the LFV $Z$ boson coupling and corresponding branching ratio (BR). We find that an upper limit of up to $1.13\times 10^{-7}$ and $4.64 \times 10^{-8}$ can be set on BR($Z\to e \mu$) at 95\% confidence level (C.L.) with one year run of LHeC and FCC-eh, respectively, if the LFV coupling is governed by vector or axial-vector coupling. For tensor or axial-tensor coupling, these limits can be improved up to $2.34\times 10^{-8}$ and $5.02\times 10^{-9}$ for LHeC and FCC-eh machines, respectively, at 95\% C.L. The projected numbers improve significantly over the existing limit of $2.62\times 10^{-7}$ set by ATLAS.

hep-ph

Fatjet signatures of heavy neutrinos and heavy leptons in a left-right model with universal seesaw at the HL-LHC

We perform a collider search for fatjet signals originating from boosted heavy neutral and charged leptons with masses between a few hundred GeV to a TeV. These heavy leptons originate from the decay of heavy gauge bosons with masses above 4 TeV in a left-right symmetric extension of the Standard Model (SM), which considers a universal seesaw mechanism for the generation of all the SM fermion masses. The fatjet signals arise naturally in this model due to the presence of heavy seesaw partners of the SM fermions which decay to SM gauge bosons carrying large boosts. We employ substructure based variables lepton sub-jet fraction ($LSF$) and lepton mass drop ($LMD$) together with kinematic variables of fatjets to look for fatjet signals associated with non-isolated leptons. These variables help in reducing the SM backgrounds while retaining enough statistics for signal events, which leads to a robust discovery potential at the high-luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC).

hep-ph

Collider Signatures of Type-X 2HDM + scalar singlet dark matter at HL-LHC

As the 125 GeV Higgs becomes disfavored as a portal to the dark sector, one is motivated to look beyond the SM-Higgs sector, into extended scalar-mediated portal mechanisms. In this work we consider one interesting possibility of such extended scalar sector, namely Type X two Higgs doublet with a scalar singlet dark matter. This model with the advantage of light pseudoscalars also provides the explanation for the observed anomalous magnetic moment of muon. The dark matter phenomenology of this model is unique from the other types of two Higgs doublet models. Therefore, it is quite intriguing to look for signatures specific to this model at the collider experiments. In this work we take up the task of finding suitable final states and regions of parameters space that can be probed at the high-luminosity runs of LHC. We go beyond our rectangular cut-based approach and use Artificial Neural Network which shows remarkable improvement in terms of signal significance.

hep-ph

Jet Substructure and Multivariate Analysis Aid in Polarization Study of Boosted, Hadronic $W$ Fatjet at the LHC

Study of polarization of heavy particles is an important branch of research in today's collider studies. The massive $W$ boson has two types of polarization states, which usually are studied via the angular distribution of its decay products. We have studied polarization of hadronic and boosted $W$ boson using jet substructure technique at 14 TeV LHC. Two different methods, viz. N-subjettiness and Soft Drop, were used to find the subjets, which are approximately considered to be the two hadronic decay products of $W$, inside boosted $W$ jets. These subjets were then used to find the distribution of $p_\theta$ and $z_j$ to prepare the templates of longitudinally and transversely polarized $W$. We then used these templates to find the fractions of different $W$ polarization in a mixed sample to a relatively good accuracy.

hep-ph

Muon g-2 and a type-X two Higgs doublet scenario: some studies in high-scale validity

We study the high-scale validity of a Type-X two Higgs doublet scenario which provides an explanation of the observed value of muon $(g-2)$. This region admits of a pseudoscalar physical state, which is well below the observed 125-GeV scalar in mass. A second neutral scalar particle can be both above and below 125 GeV in such a scenario. Admissible regions in the parameter space are obtained by using the most recent data on muon $(g-2)$, theoretical constraints such as low-scale perturbativity and vacuum stability, and also all experimental constraints, including the available LHC results. Among other things, both the aforesaid orders of CP-even neutral scalar masses are included in our benchmark studies. Two-loop renormalisation group equations are used to predict the values of various couplings at high scales, and the regions in the space spanned by low-scale parameters, which retain perturbative unitarity as well as vacuum stability upto various scales are identified. We thus conclude that such a scenario, while successfully explaining the observed muon $(g-2)$, can be valid upto energy scales ranging from $10^{4}$ GeV to the Planck scale, thus opening up directions of thought on its ultraviolet completion.

hep-ph

LHC signals of triplet scalars as dark matter portal: cut-based approach and improvement with gradient boosting and neural networks

We consider a scenario where an SU(2) triplet scalar acts as the portal for a scalar dark matter particle. We identify regions of the parameter space, where such a triplet coexists with the usual Higgs doublet consistently with all theoretical as well as neutrino, accelerator and dark matter constraints, and the triplet-dominated neutral state has substantial invisible branching fraction. LHC signals are investigated for such regions, in the final state {\em same-sign dilepton + $\ge$ 2 jets + $\not E_T$.} While straightforward detectability at the high-luminosity run is predicted for some benchmark points in a cut-based analysis, there are other benchmarks where one has to resort to gradient boosting/neural network techniques in order to achieve appreciable signal significance.

hep-ph

LHC signals of a heavy doublet Higgs as dark matter portal: cut-based approach and improvement with gradient boosting and neural networks

Though the 125-GeV scalar, as the Higgs boson of the standard model, is disfavoured as a dark matter portal by direct searches and the observations on relic density, a heavier scalar in an extended electroweak sector can fit into that role. We explore this possibility in the context of two Higgs doublet models (2HDM). Taking Type I and Type II 2HDM as illustration, and assuming a scalar gauge singlet dark matter particle, we show that the heavy neutral CP-even scalar ($H$) can (a) serve as dark matter portal consistently with all data, and (b) have a substantial invisible branching ratio, over a wide region of the parameter space. Using this fact, we estimate rates of LHC signals where $H$ is produced via ({\it i}) gluon fusion, in association with a hard jet, and ({\it ii}) vector boson fusion. Invisible decays of the $H$ can then lead to monojet + $\slashed{E_T}$ in ({\it i}), and two forward jets with large rapidity gap + $\slashed{E_T}$ in ({\it ii}). The second kind of signal usually yields better significance for the high-luminosity run. We also supplement our cut-based analyses with those based on gradient boosted decision trees (XGboost) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques, where the statistical significance distinctly improves, especially for Type II 2HDM.

hep-ph

Extended scalar sectors, effective operators and observed data

The available data on the 125 GeV scalar $h$ is analysed to explore the room for new physics in the electroweak symmetry breaking sector. The first part of the study is model-independent, with $h$ couplings to standard model particles scaled by quantities that are taken to be free parameters. At the same time, the additional loop contributions to $h \rightarrow γγ$ and $h \rightarrow Zγ$, mediated by charged scalar contributions in the extended scalar sector, are treated in terms of gauge-invariant effective operators. Having justified this approach for cases where the concerned scalar masses are a little above the $Z$-boson mass, we fit the existing data to obtain marginalized 1$σ$ and 2$σ$ regions in the space of the coefficients of such effective operators, where the limit on the $h \rightarrow Zγ$ branching ratio is used as a constraint. The correlation between, say, the gluon fusion and vector-boson fusion channels, as reflected in a non-diagonal covariance matrix, is taken into account. After thus obtaining model-independent fits, the allowed values of the coefficients are translated into permissible regions of the parameter spaces of several specific models. In this spirit we constrain four different types of two Higgs doublet models, and also models with one or two $Y = 2$ scalar triplets, taking into account the correlatedness of the scale factors in $h$-interactions and the various couplings of charged Higgs states in each extended scenario.

hep-ph