Standard Model Gauge Bosons Research Articles

Singlets in composite Higgs models in light of the LHC 750 GeV diphoton excess

Models of compositeness can successfully address the origin of the Higgs boson, as a pseudo Nambu Goldstone boson (pNGB) of a spontaneously broken global symmetry, and flavour physics via the partial compositeness mechanism. If the dynamics is generated by a confining gauge group with fermionic matter content, there exists only a finite set of models that have the correct properties to account for the Higgs and top partners at the same time. In this letter we explore the theory space of this class of models: remarkably, all of them contain - beyond the pNGB Higgs - a pNGB singlet, $a$, which couples to Standard Model gauge bosons via Wess-Zumino-Witten interactions, thus providing naturally a resonance in di-boson at the LHC. With the assumption that the recently reported di-photon excess at 750 GeV at the LHC arises from the a-resonance, we propose a generic approach on how to delineate the best candidate for composite Higgs models with top-partners. We find that constraints from other di-boson searches severely reduce the theory space of the models under consideration. For the models which can explain the di-photon excess, we make precise and testable predictions for the width and other di-boson resonance searches.

750 GeV diphoton resonance and inflation

We study the possibility of a heavy scalar or pseudoscalar in TeV-scale beyond the Standard Model scenarios being the inflaton of the early universe in light of the recent O(750) GeV diphoton excess at the LHC. We consider a scenario in which the new scalar or pseudoscalar couples to the Standard Model gauge bosons at the loop level through new massive Standard Model charged vectorlike fermions with or without dark fermions. We calculate the renormalization group running of both the Standard Model and the new scalar couplings, and present two different models that are perturbative and with a stabilized vacuum up to near the Planck scale. Thus, the Standard Model Higgs and this possible new resonance may still preserve the minimalist features of Higgs inflation.

Probing top quark neutral couplings in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory at NLO in QCD

Top quark pair production in association with a Z-boson or a photon at the LHC directly probes neutral top-quark couplings. We present predictions for these two processes in the Standard Model (SM) Effective Field Theory (EFT) at next-to-leading order (NLO) in QCD. We include the full set of CP-even dimension-six operators that enter the top-quark interactions with the SM gauge bosons. For comparison, we also present predictions in the SMEFT for top loop-induced HZ production at the LHC and for $$ t\overline{t} $$ production at the ILC at NLO in QCD. Results for total cross sections and differential distributions are obtained and uncertainties coming from missing higher orders in the strong coupling and in the EFT expansions are discussed. NLO results matched to the parton shower are available, allowing for event generation to be directly employed in an experimental analyses. Our framework provides a solid basis for the interpretation of current and future measurements in the SMEFT, with improved accuracy and precision.

Footprints of New Strong Dynamics via Anomaly and the 750GeV Diphoton.

The chiral anomaly provides smoking-gun evidence of a new confining gauge theory. Motivated by a reported event excess in a diphoton invariant mass distribution at the LHC, we discuss a scenario that a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone (PNG) boson of a new QCD-like theory is produced by gluon fusion and decays into a pair of the standard model gauge bosons. Despite the strong dynamics, the production cross section and the decay widths are determined by an anomaly matching condition. The excess can be explained by the PNG boson with mass of around 750GeV. The model also predicts exotic hadrons such as a color-octet scalar and baryons. Some of them are within the reach of the LHC experiment.

Sigma decomposition: the CP-odd Lagrangian

In Alonso et al., JHEP 12 (2014) 034, the CP-even sector of the effective chiral Lagrangian for a generic composite Higgs model with a symmetric coset has been constructed, up to four momenta. In this paper, the CP-odd couplings are studied within the same context. If only the Standard Model bosonic sources of custodial symmetry breaking are considered, then at most six independent operators form a basis. One of them is the weak-$\theta$ term linked to non-perturbative sources of CP viola- tion, while the others describe CP-odd perturbative couplings between the Standard Model gauge bosons and an Higgs-like scalar belonging to the Goldstone boson sector. The procedure is then applied to three distinct exemplifying frameworks: the original $SU(5)/SO(5)$ Georgi-Kaplan model, the minimal custodial-preserving $SO(5)/SO(4)$ model and the minimal $SU(3)/(SU(2)\times U(1))$ model, which intrinsically breaks cus- todial symmetry. Moreover, the projection of the high-energy electroweak effective theory to the low-energy chiral effective Lagrangian for a dynamical Higgs is per- formed, uncovering strong relations between the operator coefficients and pinpointing the differences with the elementary Higgs scenario.

The 750 GeV S -cion: Where else should we look for it?

The resonance $S$ at $\sim 750$ GeV in the diphoton channel observed by ATLAS and CMS, if it holds up, is almost certainly the ($S$)cion of a larger dynasty in a UV completion that may very well be connected to the hierarchy problem. At this stage, however, an effective field theory framework provides a useful way to parametrize searches for this resonance in other channels. Assuming that the excess is due to a new scalar or pseudoscalar boson, we study associated production of $S$ ("$S$-strahlung") at the LHC and propose searches in several clean channels like $\gamma\gamma\ell\ell$, $\gamma\gamma\ell\eslash$ and $\ell\ell\ell\gamma\eslash$ to probe dimension-5 operators coupling $S$ to Standard Model gauge bosons. We consider a range of widths for $S$, from 5 GeV to 45 GeV, and find that the three channels probe complementary regions of parameter space and the suppression scale $\Lambda$. The finding of most immediate relevance is that with 3 fb$^{-1}$, the LHC might already reveal new excesses in the $\gamma\gamma\ell\ell$ channel and a 5(3) $\sigma$ discovery may already be possible after collecting 65(25) fb$^{-1}$ of data with $\ell\ell\ell\gamma\eslash$ events if the scale of the new physics is within $\sim $ 9 TeV for couplings respecting 8 TeV LHC bounds and compatible with the observed excess in diphotons for a wide resonance as suggested by the ATLAS Collaboration. Beyond the EFT parametrization, we found realizations of models with heavy vector-like quarks and leptons which can simultaneously fit the diphoton excess and be discovered in the channels proposed here.

Studying 750 GeV di-photon resonance at photon–photon collider

Motivated by the recent LHC discovery of the di-photon excess at the invariant mass of ~ 750 GeV, we study the prospect of investigating the scalar resonance at a future photon-photon collider. We show that, if the di-photon excess observed at the LHC is due to a new scalar boson coupled to the standard-model gauge bosons, such a scalar boson can be observed and studied at the photon-photon collider with the center-of-mass energy of ~ 1 TeV in large fraction of parameter space.

Extra neutral scalars with vectorlike fermions at the LHC

Many theories beyond the standard model (BSM) contain new CP-odd and CP-even neutral scalars $\phi = \{A,H\}$, and new vector-like fermions ($\psi_{VL}$). The couplings of the CP-odd scalar $A$ to two standard model (SM) gauge bosons cannot occur from renormalizable operators in a CP-conserving sector, but can be induced at the quantum loop level. We compute these effective couplings at the 1-loop level induced by the SM fermions and vector-like fermions, present analytical expressions for them, and plot them numerically. Using the 8~TeV Large Hadron Collider (LHC) $\gamma\gamma$, $\tau^{+} \tau^{-}$ and $t \bar t$ channel data, we derive constraints on the effective couplings of the $\phi$ to standard model gauge bosons and fermions. We present the gluon-fusion channel cross-sections of the $\phi$ at the 8~and~14~TeV LHC, and its branching-ratios into SM fermion and gauge-boson pairs. We present our results first model-independently, and then also for some simple models containing $\phi$ and $\psi_{VL}$ in the singlet and doublet representations of $SU(2)$. In the doublet case, we focus on the two-Higgs-doublet (2HDM) Type-II and Type-X models in the alignment limit.

A resonance without resonance: Scrutinizing the diphoton excess at 750 GeV

Motivated by the recent diphoton excesses reported by both ATLAS and CMS collaborations, we suggest that a new heavy spinless particle is produced in gluon fusion at the LHC and decays to a couple of lighter pseudoscalars which then decay to photons. The new resonances could arise from a new strongly interacting sector and couple to Standard Model gauge bosons only via the corresponding Wess-Zumino-Witten anomaly. We present a detailed recast of the newest 13 TeV data from ATLAS and CMS together with the 8 TeV data to scan the consistency of the parameter space for those resonances.

Diboson resonance as a portal to hidden strong dynamics

We propose a new explanation for excess events observed in the search for a high-mass resonance decaying into dibosons by the ATLAS experiment. The resonance is identied as a composite spin-0 particle that couples to the Standard Model gauge bosons via dimension-5 operators. The excess events can be explained if the dimension-5 operators are suppressed by a mass scale ofO(1{10) TeV. We also construct a model of hidden strong gauge dynamics which realizes the spin-0 particle as its lightest composite state, with appropriate couplings to Standard Model gauge bosons.

Dynamical origin of the electroweak scale and the 125 GeV scalar

We consider a fully dynamical origin for the masses of weak gauge bosons and heavy quarks of the Standard Model. Electroweak symmetry breaking and the gauge boson masses arise from new strong dynamics, which leads to the appearance of a composite scalar in the spectrum of excitations. In order to generate mass for the Standard Model fermions, we consider extended gauge dynamics, effectively represented by four fermion interactions at presently accessible energies. By systematically treating these interactions, we show that they lead to a large reduction of the mass of the scalar resonance. Therefore, interpreting the scalar as the recently observed 125 GeV state implies that the mass originating solely from new strong dynamics can be much heavier, i.e. of the order of 1 TeV. In addition to reducing the mass of the scalar resonance, we show that the four-fermion interactions allow for contributions to the oblique corrections in agreement with the experimental constraints. The couplings of the scalar resonance with the Standard Model gauge bosons and fermions are evaluated, and found to be compatible with the current LHC results. Additional new resonances are expected to be heavy, with masses of the order of a few TeVs, and hence accessible in future experiments.

Electro-Weak Dark Matter: Non-perturbative effect confronting indirect detections

We update indirect constraints on Electro-Weak Dark Matter (EWDM) considering the Sommerfeld–Ramsauer–Townsend (SRT) effect for its annihilations into a pair of standard model gauge bosons assuming that EWDM accounts for the observed dark matter (DM) relic density for a given DM mass and mass gaps among the multiplet components. For the radiative or smaller mass splitting, the hypercharged triplet and higher multiplet EWDMs are ruled out up to the DM mass ≈10–20 TeV by the combination of the most recent data from AMS-02 (antiproton), Fermi-LAT (gamma-ray), and HESS (gamma-line). The Majorana triplet (wino-like) EWDM can evade all the indirect constraints only around Ramsauer–Townsend dips which can occur for a tiny mass splitting of order 10 MeV or less. In the case of the doublet (Higgsino-like) EWDM, a wide range of its mass ≳500 GeV is allowed except Sommerfeld peak regions. Such a stringent limit on the triplet DM can be evaded by employing a larger mass gap of the order of 10 GeV which allows its mass larger than about 1 TeV. However, the future CTA experiment will be able to cover most of the unconstrained parameter space.

Bulk gauge and matter fields in nested warping: I. The formalism

The lack of evidence for a TeV-mass graviton has been construed as constricting the Randall-Sundrum model. However, a doubly-warped generalization naturally avoids such restrictions. We develop, here, the formalism for extension of the Standard Model gauge bosons and fermions into such a six-dimensional bulk. Apart from ameliorating the usual problems such as flavour-changing neutral currents, this model admits two very distinct phases, with their own unique phenomenologies.

Multilepton and lepton jet probes of sub-weak-scale right-handed neutrinos

We propose new searches that exploit the unique signatures of decaying sterile neutrinos with masses below ${M}_{W}$ at the LHC, where they can be produced in rare decays of Standard Model gauge bosons. We show that, for few-GeV-scale sterile neutrinos, the LHC experiments can probe mixing angles at the level of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}--{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ through powerful searches that look for a prompt lepton in association with a displaced lepton jet. For higher-mass sterile neutrinos, i.e., ${M}_{N}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}15\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$, run II can explore similarly small mixing angles in prompt multilepton final states. This represents an improvement of up to 2 orders of magnitude in sensitivity to the sterile neutrino production rate.

Bounds on Kaluza–Klein states from EWPT and direct searches at the LHC

We review the present bounds on Kaluza–Klein (KK)-excitations of Standard Model gauge bosons, predicted by TeV size extra dimensions, which have been set by the ElectroWeak Precision Test (EWPT) and recently by the direct searches performed at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Concerning the theoretical framework we present results for the Non-Universal Extra Dimension (NUED) model with matter localized at the boundaries and all gauge bosons propagating into the bulk and acquiring KK-excitations. We also discuss its simplified version, NUED(EW), where only the ElectroWeak SM gauge bosons are allowed to propagate in the extra dimension, and its next-to-minimal version ElectroWeak Universal Extra Dimension (UED)(EW) where SU(3) is localized on the brane while the SU(2)×U(1) particle content fully propagates into the bulk.

Seesaw models with minimal flavor violation

We explore realizations of minimal flavor violation (MFV) for leptons in the simplest seesaw models where the neutrino mass generation mechanism is driven by new fermion singlets (type I) or triplets (type III) and by a scalar triplet (type II). We also discuss similarities and differences of the MFV implementation among the three scenarios. To study the phenomenological implications, we consider a number of effective dimension-six operators that are purely leptonic or couple leptons to the standard model gauge and Higgs bosons and evaluate constraints on the scale of MFV associated with these operators from the latest experimental information. Specifically, we employ the most recent measurements of neutrino mixing parameters as well as the currently available data on flavor-violating radiative and three-body decays of charged leptons, $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e$ conversion in nuclei, the anomalous magnetic moments of charged leptons, and their electric dipole moments. The most stringent lower limit on the MFV scale comes from the present experimental bound on $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and can reach 500 TeV or higher, depending on the details of the seesaw scheme. With our numerical results, we illustrate some important differences among the seesaw types. In particular, we show that in types I and III there are features which can bring about potentially remarkable effects which do not occur in type II. In addition, we comment on how one of the new effective operators can induce flavor-changing dilepton decays of the Higgs boson, which may be probed in upcoming searches at the LHC.

Dark matter and dark force in the type-I inert 2HDM with local U(1) H gauge symmetry

We discuss dark matter (DM) physics in the Type-I inert two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM) with local U(1)_H Higgs gauge symmetry. The local U(1)_H gauge symmetry is assigned to the extra Higgs doublet in order to avoid the Higgs-mediated flavor problems, and it spontaneously breaks down to its discrete subgroup. The lightest neutral scalar component H of the U(1)_H-charged Higgs doublet, which does not have Yukawa couplings with the Standard-Model (SM) fermions, is stable because of the remnant discrete symmetry, and it interacts with the SM particles through the U(1)_H gauge boson (Z_H) exchange as well as the SM boson exchange. We first investigate the constraint on the U(1)_H gauge interaction, especially through the kinetic and mass mixing between the SM gauge bosons and the extra gauge boson. Then we discuss dark matter physics in our 2HDM: thermal relic density, and direct/indirect detections of dark matter. The additional U(1)_H gauge interaction plays a crucial role in reducing the DM thermal relic density. The most important result within the inert DM model with local U(1)_H symmetry is that ~ O(10) GeV dark matter scenario, which is strongly disfavored in the usual Inert Doublet Model (IDM) with Z_2 symmetry, is revived in our model because of newly open channels, H H -> Z_H Z_H , Z_H Z. Exotic Higgs decays, h -> Z_H Z_H, Z Z_H, would be distinctive signatures of the inert 2HDM with local U(1)_H symmetry.

Lurking pseudovectors below the TeV scale.

If electroweak symmetry breaking is driven by a new strongly coupled dynamical sector, one expects the bound states to appear at the TeV scale or slightly below. However, electroweak precision data imposes severe constraints on most of the existing models, putting them under strain. Conventional models require the new composite states to come in pairs of rather heavy, close to degenerate spin-1 resonances. In this paper I argue that spin-1 states can actually be lighter without clashing with experimental bounds. As an example, I consider a composite model with a light pseudovector resonance that couples to the Standard Model gauge boson, fermion, and scalar fields. I show how such a resonance leaves basically no imprint on the NLO corrections to the Standard Model. This happens not through parameter tuning, but rather as a consequence of generic properties of realistic UV completions. This pseudovector is mostly unconstrained by existing data and could be as light as 600 GeV. In the last part of the paper I briefly discuss its most characteristic signatures for direct detection at colliders.

The specificity of searches for W′, Z′ and γ′ coming from extra dimensions

We discuss the specificity of searches for hypothetical $W^{\prime}$, $Z^{\prime}$ and $\gamma^{\prime}$ bosons at hadron colliders in single top quark and $\mu^{+}\nu_{\mu}$ production and Drell-Yan processes assuming these particles to be the Kaluza-Klein excitations of the gauge bosons of the Standard Model. In this case any process mediated by $W$ is also mediated by the whole KK tower of its excitations, whereas to the processes mediated by $Z$ and $\gamma$ there is not only a contribution from their KK towers, but also from that of the graviton. The contributions of the towers above $W^{\prime}$, $Z^{\prime}$ and $\gamma^{\prime}$ and above the first excitation of the graviton are included with the help of effective four-fermion Lagrangians. We compute the cross-sections of these processes taking into account the contributions of the Standard Model gauge bosons, of their first KK modes and of the corresponding KK towers and discuss the impact of the interference between them. For pp-collisions at the LHC with the center of mass energy 14 TeV we found specific changes of the distribution tails due to the interference effects. Such a modification of distribution tails is characteristic for the processes mediated by particles coming from extra dimensions and should always be taken into account when looking for them.

Higgsphobic and fermiophobic Z’ as a single dark matter candidate

A spin-1 Z' particle as a single dark matter candidate is investigated by assuming that it does not directly couple to the Higgs boson and standard model fermions and does not mix with the photon and Z boson. The remaining dominant vertices are quartic Z'Z'ZZ and Z'Z'W+W-, which can induce effective Z'Z'q\bar{q} couplings through standard-model gauge-boson loops. We discuss constraints from the cosmological thermal relic density, and direct and indirect-detection experiments, and find that a dark Z' can only exist above the W boson mass threshold, and the effective quartic coupling of Z'Z'VV is bounded in the region of 10^{-3}~10^{-2}.