arXiv subjects

S. Dittmaier

Publications and source records attributed to S. Dittmaier.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Precision calculations for electroweak multi-boson processes

We review the salient features of next-to-leading-order QCD and electroweak corrections to the scattering of two and the production of three weak gauge bosons at the Large Hadron Collider. Results for the tower of $O(\alpha_s^m\alpha^n)$ corrections are shown for the exemplary processes of like-sign WW scattering and triple-W production, emphasizing the large impact of purely electroweak corrections which generically grow to $\sim-16\%$ and $\sim-7\%$ for these process types, respectively, even for integrated cross sections. Moreover, we discuss the possibility to reproduce the results of full off-shell calculations by the "vector-boson scattering approximation", "leading-pole approximations", and the "effective vector-boson approximation".

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arXiv2025

The Linear Collider Facility (LCF) at CERN

In this paper we outline a proposal for a Linear Collider Facility as the next flagship project for CERN. It offers the opportunity for a timely, cost-effective and staged construction of a new collider that will be able to comprehensively map the Higgs boson's properties, including the Higgs field potential, thanks to a large span in centre-of-mass energies and polarised beams. A comprehensive programme to study the Higgs boson and its closest relatives with high precision requires data at centre-of-mass energies from the Z pole to at least 1 TeV. It should include measurements of the Higgs boson in both major production mechanisms, ee -> ZH and ee -> vvH, precision measurements of gauge boson interactions as well as of the W boson, Higgs boson and top-quark masses, measurement of the top-quark Yukawa coupling through ee ->ttH, measurement of the Higgs boson self-coupling through HH production, and precision measurements of the electroweak couplings of the top quark. In addition, ee collisions offer discovery potential for new particles complementary to HL-LHC.

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arXiv2025

A Linear Collider Vision for the Future of Particle Physics

In this paper we review the physics opportunities at linear $e^+e^-$ colliders with a special focus on high centre-of-mass energies and beam polarisation, take a fresh look at the various accelerator technologies available or under development and, for the first time, discuss how a facility first equipped with a technology mature today could be upgraded with technologies of tomorrow to reach much higher energies and/or luminosities. In addition, we will discuss detectors and alternative collider modes, as well as opportunities for beyond-collider experiments and R\&D facilities as part of a linear collider facility (LCF). The material of this paper will support all plans for $e^+e^-$ linear colliders and additional opportunities they offer, independently of technology choice or proposed site, as well as R\&D for advanced accelerator technologies. This joint perspective on the physics goals, early technologies and upgrade strategies has been developed by the LCVision team based on an initial discussion at LCWS2024 in Tokyo and a follow-up at the LCVision Community Event at CERN in January 2025. It heavily builds on decades of achievements of the global linear collider community, in particular in the context of CLIC and ILC.

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arXiv2022

Initial state QED radiation aspects for future $e^+e^-$ colliders

This white paper concerns theoretical and phenomenological aspects relevant to the physics of future $e^+e^-$ colliders, in particular regarding initial-state QED radiation. The contributions each contain key technical aspects, and are formulated in a pedagogical manner so as to render them accessible also to those who are not directly working on these and immediately-related topics. This should help both experts and non-experts understand the theoretical challenges that we shall face at future $e^+e^-$ colliders. Specifically, this paper contains descriptions of the treatment of initial state radiation from several Monte Carlo collaborations, as well as contributions that explain a number of more theoretical developments with promise of future phenomenological impact.

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arXiv2020

Les Houches 2019: Physics at TeV Colliders: Standard Model Working Group Report

This Report summarizes the proceedings of the 2019 Les Houches workshop on Physics at TeV Colliders. Session 1 dealt with (I) new developments for high precision Standard Model calculations, (II) the sensitivity of parton distribution functions to the experimental inputs, (III) new developments in jet substructure techniques and a detailed examination of gluon fragmentation at the LHC, (IV) issues in the theoretical description of the production of Standard Model Higgs bosons and how to relate experimental measurements, and (V) Monte Carlo event generator studies relating to PDF evolution and comparisons of important processes at the LHC.

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arXiv2019

Theoretical uncertainties for electroweak and Higgs-boson precision measurements at FCC-ee

Due to the high anticipated experimental precision at the Future Circular Collider FCC-ee (or other proposed $e^+e^-$ colliders, such as ILC, CLIC, or CEPC) for electroweak and Higgs-boson precision measurements, theoretical uncertainties may have, if unattended, an important impact on the interpretation of these measurements within the Standard Model (SM), and thus on constraints on new physics. Current theory uncertainties, which would dominate the total uncertainty, need to be strongly reduced through future advances in the calculation of multi-loop radiative corrections together with improved experimental and theoretical control of the precision of SM input parameters. This document aims to provide an estimate of the required improvement in calculational accuracy in view of the anticipated high precision at the FCC-ee. For the most relevant electroweak and Higgs-boson precision observables we evaluate the corresponding quantitative impact.

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arXiv2018

Vector boson scattering: Recent experimental and theory developments

This document summarises the talks and discussions happened during the VBSCan Split17 workshop, the first general meeting of the VBSCan COST Action network. This collaboration is aiming at a consistent and coordinated study of vector-boson scattering from the phenomenological and experimental point of view, for the best exploitation of the data that will be delivered by existing and future particle colliders.

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arXiv2017

Precise predictions for V+jets dark matter backgrounds

High-energy jets recoiling against missing transverse energy (MET) are powerful probes of dark matter at the LHC. Searches based on large MET signatures require a precise control of the $Z(ν\barν)+$jet background in the signal region. This can be achieved by taking accurate data in control regions dominated by $Z(\ell^+\ell^-)+$jet, $W(\ellν)+$jet and $γ+$jet production, and extrapolating to the $Z(ν\barν)+$jet background by means of precise theoretical predictions. In this context, recent advances in perturbative calculations open the door to significant sensitivity improvements in dark matter searches. In this spirit, we present a combination of state-of-the art calculations for all relevant $V+$jets processes, including throughout NNLO QCD corrections and NLO electroweak corrections supplemented by Sudakov logarithms at two loops. Predictions at parton level are provided together with detailed recommendations for their usage in experimental analyses based on the reweighting of Monte Carlo samples. Particular attention is devoted to the estimate of theoretical uncertainties in the framework of dark matter searches, where subtle aspects such as correlations across different $V+$jet processes play a key role. The anticipated theoretical uncertainty in the $Z(ν\barν)+$jet background is at the few percent level up to the TeV range.

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arXiv2017

Handbook of LHC Higgs Cross Sections: 4. Deciphering the Nature of the Higgs Sector

This Report summarizes the results of the activities of the LHC Higgs Cross Section Working Group in the period 2014-2016. The main goal of the working group was to present the state-of-the-art of Higgs physics at the LHC, integrating all new results that have appeared in the last few years. The first part compiles the most up-to-date predictions of Higgs boson production cross sections and decay branching ratios, parton distribution functions, and off-shell Higgs boson production and interference effects. The second part discusses the recent progress in Higgs effective field theory predictions, followed by the third part on pseudo-observables, simplified template cross section and fiducial cross section measurements, which give the baseline framework for Higgs boson property measurements. The fourth part deals with the beyond the Standard Model predictions of various benchmark scenarios of Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, extended scalar sector, Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model and exotic Higgs boson decays. This report follows three previous working-group reports: Handbook of LHC Higgs Cross Sections: 1. Inclusive Observables (CERN-2011-002), Handbook of LHC Higgs Cross Sections: 2. Differential Distributions (CERN-2012-002), and Handbook of LHC Higgs Cross Sections: 3. Higgs properties (CERN-2013-004). The current report serves as the baseline reference for Higgs physics in LHC Run 2 and beyond.

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arXiv2016

Precision Studies of Observables in pp->W->l nu and pp->gamma,Z->l+l- processes at the LHC

This report was prepared in the context of the LPCC "Electroweak Precision Measurements at the LHC WG" and summarizes the activity of a subgroup dedicated to the systematic comparison of public Monte Carlo codes, which describe the Drell-Yan processes at hadron colliders, in particular at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This work represents an important step towards the definition of an accurate simulation framework necessary for very high-precision measurements of electroweak (EW) observables such as the $W$ boson mass and the weak mixing angle. All the codes considered in this report share at least next-to-leading-order (NLO) accuracy in the prediction of the total cross sections in an expansion either in the strong or in the EW coupling constant. The NLO fixed-order predictions have been scrutinized at the technical level, using exactly the same inputs, setup and perturbative accuracy, in order to quantify the level of agreement of different implementations of the same calculation. A dedicated comparison, again at the technical level, of three codes that reach next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO) accuracy in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) for the total cross section has also been performed. These fixed-order results are a well-defined reference that allows a classification of the impact of higher-order sets of radiative corrections. Several examples of higher-order effects due to the strong or the EW interaction are discussed in this common framework. Also the combination of QCD and EW corrections is discussed, together with the ambiguities that affect the final result, due to the choice of a specific combination recipe.

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arXiv2016

Electroweak corrections to $pp \to μ^+μ^-e^+e^- + X$ at the LHC -- a Higgs background study

The first complete calculation of the next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections to four-lepton production at the LHC is presented, where all off-shell effects of intermediate Z bosons and photons are taken into account. Focusing on the mixed final state $μ^+μ^-e^+e^-$, we study differential cross sections that are particularly interesting for Higgs-boson analyses. The electroweak corrections are divided into photonic and purely weak corrections. The former exhibit patterns familiar from similar W/Z-boson production processes with very large radiative tails near resonances and kinematical shoulders. The weak corrections are of the generic size of 5% and show interesting variations, in particular a sign change between the regions of resonant Z-pair production and the Higgs signal.

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arXiv2015

Physics at the e+ e- Linear Collider

A comprehensive review of physics at an e+e- Linear Collider in the energy range of sqrt{s}=92 GeV--3 TeV is presented in view of recent and expected LHC results, experiments from low energy as well as astroparticle physics.The report focuses in particular on Higgs boson, Top quark and electroweak precision physics, but also discusses several models of beyond the Standard Model physics such as Supersymmetry, little Higgs models and extra gauge bosons. The connection to cosmology has been analyzed as well.

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arXiv2014

High precision fundamental constants at the TeV scale

This report summarizes the proceedings of the 2014 Mainz Institute for Theoretical Physics (MITP) scientific program on "High precision fundamental constants at the TeV scale". The two outstanding parameters in the Standard Model dealt with during the MITP scientific program are the strong coupling constant $α_s$ and the top-quark mass $m_t$. Lacking knowledge on the value of those fundamental constants is often the limiting factor in the accuracy of theoretical predictions. The current status on $α_s$ and $m_t$ has been reviewed and directions for future research have been identified.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Les Houches 2013: Physics at TeV Colliders: Standard Model Working Group Report

This Report summarizes the proceedings of the 2013 Les Houches workshop on Physics at TeV Colliders. Session 1 dealt primarily with (1) the techniques for calculating standard model multi-leg NLO and NNLO QCD and NLO EW cross sections and (2) the comparison of those cross sections with LHC data from Run 1, and projections for future measurements in Run 2.

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arXiv2013

Handbook of LHC Higgs Cross Sections: 3. Higgs Properties

This Report summarizes the results of the activities in 2012 and the first half of 2013 of the LHC Higgs Cross Section Working Group. The main goal of the working group was to present the state of the art of Higgs Physics at the LHC, integrating all new results that have appeared in the last few years. This report follows the first working group report Handbook of LHC Higgs Cross Sections: 1. Inclusive Observables (CERN-2011-002) and the second working group report Handbook of LHC Higgs Cross Sections: 2. Differential Distributions (CERN-2012-002). After the discovery of a Higgs boson at the LHC in mid-2012 this report focuses on refined prediction of Standard Model (SM) Higgs phenomenology around the experimentally observed value of 125-126 GeV, refined predictions for heavy SM-like Higgs bosons as well as predictions in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model and first steps to go beyond these models. The other main focus is on the extraction of the characteristics and properties of the newly discovered particle such as couplings to SM particles, spin and CP-quantum numbers etc.

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arXiv2013

Next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections to pp->WW->4 leptons in double-pole approximation at the LHC

We report on our calculation of next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections to W-boson pair production at the LHC, taking into account off-shell effects and spin correlations of the W bosons and their leptonic decays in the framework of a double-pole approximation. We study the various contributions to the electroweak corrections in detail and discuss their impact on selected observables within a realistic event-selection setup.

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arXiv2013

Report of the Snowmass 2013 energy frontier QCD working group

This is the summary report of the energy frontier QCD working group prepared for Snowmass 2013. We review the status of tools, both theoretical and experimental, for understanding the strong interactions at colliders. We attempt to prioritize important directions that future developments should take. Most of the efforts of the QCD working group concentrate on proton-proton colliders, at 14 TeV as planned for the next run of the LHC, and for 33 and 100 TeV, possible energies of the colliders that will be necessary to carry on the physics program started at 14 TeV. We also examine QCD predictions and measurements at lepton-lepton and lepton-hadron colliders, and in particular their ability to improve our knowledge of strong coupling constant and parton distribution functions.

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arXiv2013

Next-to-leading order electroweak corrections to pp -> W+W- -> 4 leptons at the LHC in double-pole approximation

We present the calculation of next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections to W-boson pair production at the LHC, taking off-shell effects of the W bosons and their leptonic decays into account in the framework of the so-called double-pole approximation. In detail, the lowest-order cross section and the photonic bremsstrahlung are based on full matrix elements with four-fermion final states, but the virtual one-loop corrections are approximated by the leading contributions of a systematic expansion about the resonance poles of the two W bosons. This expansion classifies the virtual corrections into factorizable and non-factorizable corrections, the calculation of which is described in detail. Corrections induced by photons in the initial state, i.e. photon-photon and quark-photon collision channels, are included and based on complete matrix elements as well. Our numerical results, which are presented for realistic acceptance cuts applied to the W-boson decay products, qualitatively confirm recent results obtained for on-shell W bosons and reveal electroweak corrections of the size of tens of percent in the TeV range of transverse momenta and invariant masses. In general, photon-photon and quark-photon induced contributions amount to 5-10% of the full differential result. Compared to previous predictions based on stable W bosons electroweak corrections, however, can change by several percent because of realistic cuts on the W-boson decay products and corrections to the decays.

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