How to pin down theCPquantum numbers of a Higgs boson in itsτdecays at the LHC

Abstract

We investigate how the $CP$ quantum numbers of a neutral Higgs boson or spin-zero resonance $\ensuremath{\Phi}$, produced at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, can be determined in its $\ensuremath{\tau}$-pair decay mode $\ensuremath{\Phi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\tau}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\tau}}^{+}$. We use a method [S. Berge and W. Bernreuther, Phys. Lett. B 671, 470 (2009).] based on the distributions of two angles and apply it to the major 1-prong $\ensuremath{\tau}$ decays. We show for the resulting dilepton, lepton-pion, and two-pion final states that appropriate selection cuts significantly enhance the discriminating power of these observables. From our analysis we conclude that, provided a Higgs boson will be found at the LHC, it appears feasible to collect the event numbers needed to discriminate between a $CP$-even and -odd Higgs boson and/or between Higgs boson(s) with $CP$-conserving and $CP$-violating couplings after several years of high-luminosity runs.