arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Stefano Moretti.
We review and update the interpretation of the 125 GeV scalar as the lightest Higgs boson of the Two-Higgs-Doublet Model, allowing for CP violation in the potential. The detection of a charged Higgs boson would exclude the Standard Model. Proposed benchmarks for charged-Higgs searches in the channel pp\to H^+W^-X\to W^+W^-H_1X are reviewed and updated.
The main production mode for a light charged Higgs boson at the LHC is $pp \to t \bar t$, with one the top-quarks decaying to a charged Higgs and a $b$-quark. However, single top production also gives rise to final states with charged Higgs bosons. In this work we analyse how the two processes compare at the LHC@14TeV. We will be working in the framework of the two-Higgs double model, considering both a CP-conserving and a CP-violating version of the model. We conclude that the single top mode could help to constrain the parameter space in several versions of the model. We also discuss the role of other complementary production processes in future searches at the LHC.
We investigate the scope of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in probing the parameter space of a 4-Site (4S) model supplemented by one composite Higgs state. We concentrate on the yield of `mixed' di-boson production giving three leptons and missing (transverse) energy in the final state, i.e., events induced via the sub-process $q\bar q' -> l^+ν_l l^{'+}l^{'-}$ + ${\rm{c.c.}}$, where $q,q'$ are quarks and $l,l'=e,μ$ in all possible combinations, signature which enables the production in the intermediate steps of all additional -- with respect to the Standard Model (SM) -- neutral and charged gauge bosons belonging to the spectrum of this scenario, all of which in resonant topologies. We not only find this channel to be accessible over the background but also show that, after a dedicated cut-based analysis, kinematical reconstruction of all such resonances is always possible. We finally compare the yield of the mixed di-boson mode to that of the `charged' di-boson one and find that the former is of lesser scope than the latter at smaller gauge boson masses but it overcomes it at higher values, thereby revealing itself a viable search mode covering new regions of parameter space.
We discuss prospects for discovering a charged Higgs boson in the CP-violating type-II two-Higgs-doublet Model. In the light of recent LHC data, we focus on the parameter space that survives experimental as well as the theoretical constraints on the model. Once the phenomenological scenario is set, we analyse the scope for the LHC to discover a charged Higgs in association with the lightest neutral Higgs and a charged vector boson.
We study di-boson production via both neutral and charged current at the Large Hadron Collider, i.e. subprocesses $q\bar q\to e^+ν_e μ^-\barν_μ$ + ${\rm{c.c.}}$ and $q\bar q'\to l^+ν_l l^{'+}l^{'-}$ + ${\rm{c.c.}}$, respectively, where $q,q'$ are quarks and $l,l'=e,μ$, in all possible combinations, in the context of the 4-Dimensional Composite Higgs Model. These modes enable the production in the intermediate steps of several additional -- with respect to the Standard Model -- neutral and charged gauge bosons belonging to the spectrum of this scenario, all of which in resonant topologies. We not only find these channels to be accessible over the background but also show that, after a dedicated cut-based analysis, kinematic reconstruction of most such resonances is always possible. However, since the Electro-Weak precision data generally disfavor neutral and charged gauge boson masses below the TeV range and also their large couplings to light-fermions, these modes turn out to be relevant only for the 14 TeV option with high integrated luminosity.
We discuss the discovery potential of a charged Higgs boson in the single top mode. The models discussed include a CP-conserving and a CP-violating version of the softly broken $Z_2$ symmetric 2HDM potential. We conclude that the single top mode could help to constrain the ($m_{H^\pm}$, $\tan β$) plane in several versions of 2HDMs.
We show that a light charged Higgs boson signal via $τ^\pmν$ decay can be established at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) also in the case of single top production. This process complements searches for the same signal in the case of charged Higgs bosons emerging from $t \bar t$ production. The models accessible include the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) as well a variety of 2-Higgs Doublet Models (2HDMs). High energies and luminosities are however required, thereby restricting interest on this mode to the case of the LHC running at 14 TeV with design configuration.
We summarise the phenomenology of the Higgs sector of the minimal $B-L$ extension of the Standard Model at an $e^+e^-$ Linear Collider. Within such a scenario, we show that (in comparison with the Large Hadron Collider) several novel production and decay channels involving the two physical Higgs states could experimentally be accessed at such a machine. In particular, we present the scope of the $Z'$ strahlung process for single and double Higgs production, the only suitable mechanism for accessing an almost decoupled heavy scalar state.
We review the potential of the LHC to detect a very light CP-odd Higgs boson of the NMSSM, $a_1$, through its direct production in association with a bottom-quark pair at large tan$β$. We also review the LHC discovery potential of the two lightest CP-even Higgs states, decaying into two lighter Higgs states or into the lightest CP-odd Higgs state and the $Z$ gauge boson.
We have combined the perturbative unitarity and the renormalisation group equations arguments in order to find a dynamical way to constrain the $g'_1$ coupling of the minimal $B-L$ extension of the Standard Model. We have analysed the role of the $g'_1$ coupling evolution in the perturbative stability of the two-to-two body scattering amplitudes of the vector boson and scalar sectors of the model and we have shown that the perturbative unitarity imposes an upper bound on the $B-L$ gauge coupling. We have made a comparison between this criterion and the triviality arguments, showing that our procedure substantially refines the triviality bounds.
We have combined perturbative unitarity and renormalisation group equation arguments in order to find a dynamical way to constrain the space of the gauge couplings ($g'_1$, $\widetilde{g}$) of the so-called "Minimal $Z'$ Models". We have analysed the role of the gauge couplings evolution in the perturbative stability of the two-to-two body scattering amplitudes of the vector and scalar sectors of these models and we have shown that perturbative unitarity imposes an upper bound that is generally stronger than the triviality constraint. We have also demonstrated how this method quantitatively refines the usual triviality bound in the case of benchmark scenarios such as the $U(1)_χ$, the $U(1)_R$ or the "pure" $U(1)_{B-L}$ extension of the Standard Model. Finally, a description of the underlying model structure in Feynman gauge is provided.
We study the $Za_1$ decay mode of a heavy CP-even Higgs boson of the NMSSM, $h_2$, where $a_1$ is the lightest CP-odd Higgs state of this scenario, the former produced in association with a bottom-antibottom pair, and find that, despite small event rates, a significant (in fact essentially background free) signal should be extractable at the LHC with very high luminosity, so long that a $Z\to jj$ (where $j$ represents a jet) and $a_1\to τ^+τ^-$ final state is exploited, in presence of $b$-tagging
We investigate the phenomenology of the Higgs sector of the minimal $B-L$ extension of the Standard Model at a future $e^+e^-$ Linear Collider. We consider the discovery potential of both a sub-TeV and a multi-TeV machine. We show that, within such a theoretical scenario, several novel production and decay channels involving the two physical Higgs states, precluded at the LHC, could experimentally be accessed at such machines. Amongst these, several Higgs signatures have very distinctive features with respect to those of other models with enlarged Higgs sector, as they involve interactions of Higgs bosons between themselves, with $Z'$ bosons as well as with heavy neutrinos. In particular, we present the scope of the $Z'$ strahlung process for single and double Higgs production, the only suitable mechanism enable one to access an almost decoupled heavy scalar state (therefore outside the LHC range).
We show the potential of the LHC to detect a CP-even Higgs boson of the NMSSM, $h_1$ or $h_2$, decaying into two rather light CP-odd Higgs bosons, $a_1$, by exploiting the production mode based on Higgs-strahlung off $b$-quarks, i.e., the channel $pp\to b\bar b h_{1,2}$. We also consider the case of $h_2\to h_1 h_1$ decays. It is found that these decays have dominant BRs over large regions of the NMSSM parameter space where tan$β$ is large, a condition which also favours the $pp\to b\bar b h_{1,2}$ production rates. Further decays of the light Higgs boson pairs ($a_1$ and $h_1$) into photon, muon, tau and $b$ final states are also considered. The overall production and decay rates for these processes at inclusive level are sizable and should help extracting at least one Higgs boson signal over the NMSSM parameter space.
We present a discussion of light charged Higgs boson searches at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in CP-conserving 2-Higgs Doublet Models (2HDMs). Taking into account all available experimental and theoretical constraints we review all possible processes that would allow for a detection of such a particle with a mass below the top quark mass. Two different types of processes are analysed: one that depends only on tan beta and on the charged Higgs boson mass because it involves only the charged Higgs boson Yukawa couplings; the other that depends on almost all model parameters, mainly due to the presence of Higgs self-couplings. We discuss the regions of parameter space of 2HDMs that can be covered be each type of process and define some guidelines for experimental searches at the LHC.
We study the detectability of the lightest CP-odd Higgs boson of the NMSSM, $a_1$, at the LHC through its production in association with a bottom-quark pair followed by the $a_1\to b\bar b$ decay. It is shown that, for large $\tanβ$ and very high luminosity of the LHC, there exist regions of the NMSSM parameter space that can be exploited to detect the $a_1$ through this channel. This signature is a characteristic feature of the NMSSM in comparison to the MSSM, as $a_1$ masses involved are well below those allowed in the MSSM for the corresponding CP-odd Higgs state.
We present the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) discovery potential in the $Z'$ sector of a $U(1)_{B-L}$ enlarged Standard Model (that also includes three heavy Majorana neutrinos and an additional Higgs boson) for $\sqrt{s}=7$, 10 and 14 TeV centre-of-mass (CM) energies, considering both the $Z'_{B-L}\rightarrow e^+e^-$ and $Z'_{B-L}\rightarrow μ^+μ^-$ decay channels. The comparison of the (irreducible) backgrounds with the expected backgrounds for the D$Ø$ experiment at the Tevatron validates our simulation. We propose an alternative analysis that has the potential to improve the D$Ø$ sensitivity. Electrons provide a higher sensitivity to smaller couplings at small $Z'_{B-L}$ boson masses than do muons. The resolutions achievable may allow the $Z'_{B-L}$ boson width to be measured at smaller masses in the case of electrons in the final state. The run of the LHC at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV, assuming at most $\int \mathcal{L} \sim 1$ fb$^{-1}$, will be able to give similar results to those that will be available soon at the Tevatron in the lower mass region, and to extend them for a heavier $M_{Z'}$.
We study here the di-muon decay mode of a very light CP-odd Higgs boson of the NMSSM, a1, produced in association with a bottom-antibottom pair and find that, despite small event rates, a significant signal should be extractable from the SM background at the LHC with high luminosity.