arXiv subjects

Philip Ilten

Publications and source records attributed to Philip Ilten.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Expression of Interest for the CODEX-b Detector

This document presents the physics case and ancillary studies for the proposed CODEX-b long-lived particle (LLP) detector, as well as for a smaller proof-of-concept demonstrator detector, CODEX-$β$, to be operated during Run 3 of the LHC. Our development of the CODEX-b physics case synthesizes `top-down' and `bottom-up' theoretical approaches, providing a detailed survey of both minimal and complete models featuring LLPs. Several of these models have not been studied previously, and for some others we amend studies from previous literature: In particular, for gluon and fermion-coupled axion-like particles. We moreover present updated simulations of expected backgrounds in CODEX-b's actively shielded environment, including the effects of shielding propagation uncertainties, high-energy tails and variation in the shielding design. Initial results are also included from a background measurement and calibration campaign. A design overview is presented for the CODEX-$β$ demonstrator detector, which will enable background calibration and detector design studies. Finally, we lay out brief studies of various design drivers of the CODEX-b experiment and potential extensions of the baseline design, including the physics case for a calorimeter element, precision timing, event tagging within LHCb, and precision low-momentum tracking.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2020

CIMBA: fast Monte Carlo generation using cubic interpolation

Monte Carlo generation of high energy particle collisions is a critical tool for both theoretical and experimental particle physics, connecting perturbative calculations to phenomenological models, and theory predictions to full detector simulation. The generation of minimum bias events can be particularly computationally expensive, where non-perturbative effects play an important role and specific processes and fiducial regions can no longer be well defined. In particular scenarios, particle guns can be used to quickly sample kinematics for single particles produced in minimum bias events. CIMBA (Cubic Interpolation for Minimum Bias Approximation) provides a comprehensive package to smoothly sample predefined kinematic grids, from any general purpose Monte Carlo generator, for all particles produced in minimum bias events. These grids are provided for a number of beam configurations including those of the Large Hadron Collider.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Reinterpretation of LHC Results for New Physics: Status and Recommendations after Run 2

We report on the status of efforts to improve the reinterpretation of searches and measurements at the LHC in terms of models for new physics, in the context of the LHC Reinterpretation Forum. We detail current experimental offerings in direct searches for new particles, measurements, technical implementations and Open Data, and provide a set of recommendations for further improving the presentation of LHC results in order to better enable reinterpretation in the future. We also provide a brief description of existing software reinterpretation frameworks and recent global analyses of new physics that make use of the current data.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

The HepMC3 Event Record Library for Monte Carlo Event Generators

In high-energy physics, Monte Carlo event generators (MCEGs) are used to simulate the interactions of high energy particles. MCEG event records store the information on the simulated particles and their relationships, and thus reflects the simulated evolution of physics phenomena in each collision event. We present the HepMC3 library, a next-generation framework for MCEG event record encoding and manipulation, which builds on the functionality of its widely-used predecessors to enable more sophisticated algorithms for event-record analysis. By comparison to previous versions, the event record structure has been simplified, while adding the possibility to encode arbitrary information. The I/O functionality has been extended to support common input and output formats of various HEP MCEGs, including formats used in Fortran MCEGs, the formats established by the HepMC2 library, and binary formats such as ROOT; custom input or output handlers may also be used. HepMC3 is already supported by popular modern MCEGs and can replace the older HepMC versions in many others.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Discovering True Muonium at LHCb

We study the potential of the LHCb experiment to discover, for the first time, the $μ^+μ^-$ true muonium bound state. We propose a search for the vector $1^3S_1$ state, $\mathcal{T\!M}$, which kinetically mixes with the photon and dominantly decays to $e^+e^-$. We demonstrate that a search for $η\to γ\mathcal{T\!M}$, $\mathcal{T\!M}\to e^+e^-$ in a displaced vertex can exceed a significance of 5 standard deviations assuming statistical uncertainties. We present two possible searches: an inclusive search for the $e^+e^-$ vertex, and an exclusive search which requires an additional photon and a reconstruction of the $η$ mass.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Searching for long-lived particles beyond the Standard Model at the Large Hadron Collider

Particles beyond the Standard Model (SM) can generically have lifetimes that are long compared to SM particles at the weak scale. When produced at experiments such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, these long-lived particles (LLPs) can decay far from the interaction vertex of the primary proton-proton collision. Such LLP signatures are distinct from those of promptly decaying particles that are targeted by the majority of searches for new physics at the LHC, often requiring customized techniques to identify, for example, significantly displaced decay vertices, tracks with atypical properties, and short track segments. Given their non-standard nature, a comprehensive overview of LLP signatures at the LHC is beneficial to ensure that possible avenues of the discovery of new physics are not overlooked. Here we report on the joint work of a community of theorists and experimentalists with the ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb experiments --- as well as those working on dedicated experiments such as MoEDAL, milliQan, MATHUSLA, CODEX-b, and FASER --- to survey the current state of LLP searches at the LHC, and to chart a path for the development of LLP searches into the future, both in the upcoming Run 3 and at the High-Luminosity LHC. The work is organized around the current and future potential capabilities of LHC experiments to generally discover new LLPs, and takes a signature-based approach to surveying classes of models that give rise to LLPs rather than emphasizing any particular theory motivation. We develop a set of simplified models; assess the coverage of current searches; document known, often unexpected backgrounds; explore the capabilities of proposed detector upgrades; provide recommendations for the presentation of search results; and look towards the newest frontiers, namely high-multiplicity "dark showers", highlighting opportunities for expanding the LHC reach for these signals.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2018

Serendipity in dark photon searches

Searches for dark photons provide serendipitous discovery potential for other types of vector particles. We develop a framework for recasting dark photon searches to obtain constraints on more general theories, which includes a data-driven method for determining hadronic decay rates. We demonstrate our approach by deriving constraints on a vector that couples to the $B\!-\!L$ current, a leptophobic $B$ boson that couples directly to baryon number and to leptons via $B$-$γ$ kinetic mixing, and on a vector that mediates a protophobic force. Our approach can easily be generalized to any massive gauge boson with vector couplings to the Standard Model fermions, and software to perform any such recasting is provided at https://gitlab.com/philten/darkcast .

hep-ph↗

arXiv2018

WG1: Structure Functions and Parton Densities

This paper gives a summary of selected highlights discussed in the working group on "Structure Functions and Parton Densities" (WG1) at the DIS 2017 conference. From the many talks presented we extract some general themes discussed with respect to global PDF fits, new PDF-sensitive measurements from the LHC experiments and elsewhere, exploitation of new ideas, tools to perform PDF fits, PDFs of heavy nuclei, and finally progress in basic theory calculations.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Event generator tuning using Bayesian optimization

Monte Carlo event generators contain a large number of parameters that must be determined by comparing the output of the generator with experimental data. Generating enough events with a fixed set of parameter values to enable making such a comparison is extremely CPU intensive, which prohibits performing a simple brute-force grid-based tuning of the parameters. Bayesian optimization is a powerful method designed for such black-box tuning applications. In this article, we show that Monte Carlo event generator parameters can be accurately obtained using Bayesian optimization and minimal expert-level physics knowledge. A tune of the PYTHIA 8 event generator using $e^+e^-$ events, where 20 parameters are optimized, can be run on a modern laptop in just two days. Combining the Bayesian optimization approach with expert knowledge should enable producing better tunes in the future, by making it faster and easier to study discrepancies between Monte Carlo and experimental data.

physics.data-an↗

arXiv2017

Disentangling Heavy Flavor at Colliders

We propose two new analysis strategies for studying charm and beauty quarks at colliders. The first strategy is aimed at testing the kinematics of heavy-flavor quarks within an identified jet. Here, we use the SoftDrop jet-declustering algorithm to identify two subjets within a large-radius jet, using subjet flavor tagging to test the heavy-quark splitting functions of QCD. For subjets containing a $J / ψ$ or $Υ$, this declustering technique can also help probe the mechanism for quarkonium production. The second strategy is aimed at isolating heavy-flavor production from gluon splitting. Here, we introduce a new FlavorCone algorithm, which smoothly interpolates from well-separated heavy-quark jets to the gluon-splitting regime where jets overlap. Because of its excellent ability to identify charm and beauty hadrons, the LHCb detector is ideally suited to pursue these strategies, though similar measurements should also be possible at ATLAS and CMS. Together, these SoftDrop and FlavorCone studies should clarify a number of aspects of heavy-flavor physics at colliders, and provide crucial information needed to improve heavy-flavor modeling in parton-shower generators.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Inclusive Dark Photon Search at LHCb

We propose an inclusive search for dark photons $A'$ at the LHCb experiment based on both prompt and displaced di-muon resonances. Because the couplings of the dark photon are inherited from the photon via kinetic mixing, the dark photon $A' \to μ^+ μ^-$ rate can be directly inferred from the off-shell photon $γ^* \to μ^+ μ^-$ rate, making this a fully data-driven search. For Run 3 of the LHC, we estimate that LHCb will have sensitivity to large regions of the unexplored dark-photon parameter space, especially in the 210-520 MeV and 10-40 GeV mass ranges. This search leverages the excellent invariant-mass and vertex resolution of LHCb, along with its unique particle-identification and real-time data-analysis capabilities.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

A direct probe of the intrinsic charm content of the proton

Measurement of $Z$ bosons produced in association with charm jets $(Zc)$ in proton-proton collisions in the forward region provides a direct probe of a potential non-perturbative (intrinsic) charm component in the proton wave function. We provide a detailed study of the potential to measure $Zc$ production at the LHCb experiment in Runs 2 and 3 of the LHC. The sensitivity to valence-like (sea-like) intrinsic charm is predicted to be $\langle x \rangle_{\rm IC} \gtrsim 0.3\%(1\%)$. The impact of intrinsic charm on Higgs production at the LHC, including $Hc$, is also discussed in detail.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Forward W + c, b-jet and Top Measurements with LHCb

Inclusive c and b-jet tagging algorithms have been developed to utilize the excellent secondary vertex reconstruction and resolution capabilities of the LHCb detector. The validation and performance of these tagging algorithms are reported using the full run 1 LHCb dataset at 7 and 8 TeV. Jet-tagging has been applied to muon+jet final states to measure both the W+c,b-jet charge asymmetries and the ratios of W+c,b-jet to W+jet and W+jet to Z+jet production. The forward top production cross-section is also measured using the muon+b-jet final. All results are found to be consistent with standard model predictions.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2015

Dark photons from charm mesons at LHCb

We propose a search for dark photons $A^{\prime}$ at the LHCb experiment using the charm meson decay $D^*(2007)^0 \!\to D^0 A^{\prime}$. At nominal luminosity, $D^{*0} \!\to D^0 γ$ decays will be produced at about 700kHz within the LHCb acceptance, yielding over 5 trillion such decays during Run 3 of the LHC. Replacing the photon with a kinetically-mixed dark photon, LHCb is then sensitive to dark photons that decay as $A^{\prime}\!\to e^+e^-$. We pursue two search strategies in this paper. The displaced strategy takes advantage of the large Lorentz boost of the dark photon and the excellent vertex resolution of LHCb, yielding a nearly background-free search when the $A^{\prime}$ decay vertex is significantly displaced from the proton-proton primary vertex. The resonant strategy takes advantage of the large event rate for $D^{*0} \!\to D^0 A^{\prime}$ and the excellent invariant mass resolution of LHCb, yielding a background-limited search that nevertheless covers a significant portion of the $A^{\prime}$ parameter space. Both search strategies rely on the planned upgrade to a triggerless-readout system at LHCb in Run 3, which will permit identification of low-momentum electron-positron pairs online during data taking. For dark photon masses below about 100MeV, LHCb can explore nearly all of the dark photon parameter space between existing prompt-$A^{\prime}$ and beam-dump limits.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

LHCb Topological Trigger Reoptimization

The main b-physics trigger algorithm used by the LHCb experiment is the so-called topological trigger. The topological trigger selects vertices which are a) detached from the primary proton-proton collision and b) compatible with coming from the decay of a b-hadron. In the LHC Run 1, this trigger, which utilized a custom boosted decision tree algorithm, selected a nearly 100% pure sample of b-hadrons with a typical efficiency of 60-70%; its output was used in about 60% of LHCb papers. This talk presents studies carried out to optimize the topological trigger for LHC Run 2. In particular, we have carried out a detailed comparison of various machine learning classifier algorithms, e.g., AdaBoost, MatrixNet and neural networks. The topological trigger algorithm is designed to select all "interesting" decays of b-hadrons, but cannot be trained on every such decay. Studies have therefore been performed to determine how to optimize the performance of the classification algorithm on decays not used in the training. Methods studied include cascading, ensembling and blending techniques. Furthermore, novel boosting techniques have been implemented that will help reduce systematic uncertainties in Run 2 measurements. We demonstrate that the reoptimized topological trigger is expected to significantly improve on the Run 1 performance for a wide range of b-hadron decays.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2014

An Introduction to PYTHIA 8.2

The PYTHIA program is a standard tool for the generation of events in high-energy collisions, comprising a coherent set of physics models for the evolution from a few-body hard process to a complex multiparticle final state. It contains a library of hard processes, models for initial- and final-state parton showers, matching and merging methods between hard processes and parton showers, multiparton interactions, beam remnants, string fragmentation and particle decays. It also has a set of utilities and several interfaces to external programs. PYTHIA 8.2 is the second main release after the complete rewrite from Fortran to C++, and now has reached such a maturity that it offers a complete replacement for most applications, notably for LHC physics studies. The many new features should allow an improved description of data.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Soft QCD Measurements at LHCb

Studies in the forward region of charged particle multiplicity and density, as well as energy flow, are presented. These measurements are performed using data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, collected with the LHCb detector. The results are compared to predictions from a variety of Monte Carlo event generators and are used to test underlying event and hadronization models as well as the performance of event generator tunes in the forward region.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2014

Electroweak and Higgs Measurements Using Tau Final States with the LHCb Detector

Spin correlations for tau lepton decays are included in the Pythia 8 event generation software and the spin correlations for the decays of tau leptons produced from electroweak and Higgs bosons are calculated. Decays of the tau lepton using sophisticated resonance models are included in Pythia 8 for all channels with experimentally observed branching fractions greater than 0.04%. The mass distributions for the decay products of these channels are validated and the technical implementation of these decays is described. A measurement of the inclusive Z to di-tau cross-section using 1.0 inverse fb of data from pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV collected with the LHCb detector is presented. Reconstructed final states containing two muons, a muon and an electron, a muon and a charged hadron, or an electron and a charged hadron are selected as candidates. The cross-section for Z bosons with a mass between 60 and 120 GeV decaying into tau leptons with pseudo-rapidities between 2.0 and 4.5 and transverse momenta greater than 20 GeV is measured to be 72.3 +- 3.5 +- 2.9 +- 2.5 pb. The first uncertainty is statistical, the second uncertainty is systematic, and the third is to due the integrated luminosity uncertainty. Limits on the production of neutral Higgs bosons decaying into tau lepton pairs with pseudo-rapidities between 2.0 and 4.5 are set at a 95% confidence level using the same LHCb dataset. A model independent upper limit on the production of neutral Higgs bosons decaying into tau leptons is set and ranges between 8.6 pb for a Higgs boson mass of 90 GeV to 0.7 pb for a Higgs boson mass of 250 GeV. An upper limit on tan-beta in the CP-odd Higgs mass and tan-beta plane is set for the mh-max scenario of the minimal supersymmetric model and varies from 34 for a CP-odd Higgs boson mass of 90 GeV to 70 for a CP-odd Higgs boson mass of 140 GeV.

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