Octetonium at the LHC

Abstract

Several models of new physics, such as grand unified theories, Pati-Salam models, chiral color models, etc., predict the existence of an $SU(2)_L$ doublet of color-octet scalars (COS). In the Manohar-Wise model, the Yukawa couplings of the COS are assumed to be consistent with Minimal Flavor Violation ensuring constraints from flavor physics are satisfied even for relatively light scalars. In this simple model we consider the production of color singlet bound states of COS that we call octetonium. Octetonium are mainly produced via gluon-gluon fusion and have significant production cross sections at the LHC. They can decay to pairs of gluons or electroweak gauge bosons. If the masses of the octetonia are 1 TeV or less, these states will be visible as resonances in $\gamma \gamma, W^+W^-, ZZ$, and $ \gamma Z$.