Four weak gauge boson production at photon linear collider and heavy Higgs signal

We study the signals and backgrounds for a heavy Higgs boson in the processes γγ → WWWW, γ → WWZZ at the proton linear collider. The results are based on the complete tree-level SM calculation for these reactions. We show that the invariant mass spectrum of central WW, ZZ pairs is sensitive to the signal from Higgs boson with a mass up to 1 TeV linear collider for integrated luminosity of 300 fb⁻¹. At 1.5 TeV PLC Higgs boson with a mass up to 700 GeV can be studied. The nonresonant longitudinal gauge boson scattering (m_H = ∞) can be detected in photon-photon collisions at e⁺e⁻ center-of-mass energy of 3 TeV.     

Radiative corrections to Higgs production by e+e−→ZH in the Weinberg-Salam model

We present a complete analysis of the one-loop radiative corrections to the associated production of a Higgs boson (H) and a neutral vector boson (Z) in e⁺e^? annihilation up to energies and Higgs-boson masses of 1 TeV. In the region of interest for future experiments E ? 200 GeV (m_H ? 100 GeV) we find corrections of +25% which are essentially cancelled by soft-photon effects. The latter amount to ?31% for an electron counter resolution of 0.1.     

Baryogenesis at the weak phase transition

The weak phase transition of the hot big bang can produce quarks, leptons and weak bosons which are out of thermal equilibrium. In a simple extension of the standard model it is shown that the reactions following top quark decays can generate the cosmological baryon asymmetry. The top quark mass must be close to 80 GeV and the Higgs boson must be lighter than 1 GeV. This baryogenesis mechanism can be directly tested at e⁺e⁻ and hadron collider by searching for spectacular events containing six or more bottom quarks and a violation of baryon number at the decay vertex of a long lived neutral particle.     

Search for invisibly decaying Higgs bosons with large decay width using the OPAL detector at LEP

This paper describes a topological search for an invisibly decaying Higgs boson, H, produced via the Bjorken process (e⁺e^-→HZ). The analysis is based on data recorded using the OPAL detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 629 pb^-1. In the analysis only hadronic decays of the Z boson are considered. A scan over Higgs boson masses from 1 to 120 GeV and decay widths from 1 to 3000 GeV revealed no indication for a signal in the data. From a likelihood ratio of expected signal and standard model background we determine upper limits on cross-section times branching ratio to an invisible final state. For moderate Higgs boson decay widths, these range from about 0.07 pb (M_H=60 GeV) to 0.57 pb (M_H=114 GeV). For decay widths above 200 GeV the upper limits are of the order of 0.15 pb. The results can be interpreted in general scenarios predicting a large invisible decay width of the Higgs boson. As an example we interpret the results in the so-called stealthy Higgs scenario. The limits from this analysis exclude a large part of the parameter range of this scenario experimentally accessible at LEP 2.     

Search for the standard model Higgs boson at the LEP2 collider near

During 1997 the ALEPH experiment at LEP gathered 57 pb⁻¹ of data at centre-of-mass energies near 183 GeV. These data are used to look for possible signals from the production of the Standard Model Higgs boson in the reaction e⁺e⁻→HZ. No evidence of a signal is found in the data; seven events are selected, in agreement with the expectation of 7.2 events from background processes. This observation results in an improved lower limit on the mass of the Higgs boson: m_H>87.9 GeV/c² at 95% confidence level.     

Search for the Standard Model Higgs boson with the OPAL detector at LEP

This paper summarises the search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in e ⁺ e ^- collisions at centre-of-mass energies up to 209 GeV performed by the OPAL Collaboration at LEP. The consistency of the data with the background hypothesis and various Higgs boson mass hypotheses is examined. No indication of a signal is found in the data and a lower bound of 112.7 Gev/c² is obtained on the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson at the 95% CL. Received: 13 March 2002 / Revised version: 9 October 2002 / Published online: 13 December 2002     

Search for neutral Higgs bosons in Z0 decays using the OPAL detector at LEP

A search for neutral Higgs bosons has been performed using the full sample of Z⁰ decays collected by the OPAL detector at LEP up to 1995. The data were taken at centre-of-mass energies between 88 GeV and 95 GeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of approximately 160 pb^?1. The present search addresses the processes Z⁰→H⁰Z* and h⁰Z*, where H⁰ is the Higgs boson predicted by the Standard Model and h⁰ the lightest neutral scalar Higgs boson predicted in the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. For the virtual Z⁰ boson, Z*, the following decay channels are considered: Z*→vv?, e⁺e^? and μ⁺μ^?. Two candidate events have been found in the vv?H⁰ channel and one in the μ⁺μ^?H⁰ channel. Combined with earlier searches, the present search excludes the SM Higgs boson, at the 95% confidence level (CL), from the mass range below 59.6 GeV. In the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, allowing a wide range of variation for most relevant model parameters, a 95% CL lower limit of 44.3 GeV is obtained for the mass of the h⁰ boson. Combined with earlier direct searches for the Higgs boson pair production process Z⁰→h⁰A⁰ and with measurements of the Z⁰ line shape, a 95% CL lower limit of 23.5 GeV is obtained for the mass of the pseudoscalar Higgs boson A⁰, assuming tan β≥ 1.     

Limits to possible scalar-boson mass and coupling from e+e− collisions

Measurements of e⁺e^? → e⁺e^? at 2.8 GeV are reported and interpreted in terms of limits for the mass and coupling of a possible scalar boson of the type introduced in recent renormalizable models of weak interactions. In particular, in the Georgi-Glashow scheme of leptons we find that the scalar boson mass must be larger than 10 GeV for an m_W = 10 GeV (m_W mass of the W-boson) and of 6.5 GeV for m_W = 15 GeV. Alternatively its coupling is extremely weak.     

Do B meson decays exclude a light Higgs?

In the standard model with three generations a light Higgs boson will be produced in a quarter of all B meson decays. A novel calculation of the b → sH matrix element is given. Existing data on B meson decays excludes a light Higgs with mass less than 300 MeV or between 2 and 3.7 GeV. Because of theoretical uncertainties in the branching fractions for Higgs production and decay, a window between 300 MeV and 2 GeV is still allowed. Such a Higgs could be discovered at the ϒ (4S) in inclusive π⁺π⁻ or K⁺ K⁻ invariant mass plots, and in events with six kaons.     

Limits on light higgs bosons from the decays K±→π±l−l+

Current experimental limits on K^±→π^±e⁻e⁺ rule out a neutral scalar particle with the couplings of the standard Higgs boson and mass in the range 50 MeV to 211 MeV. Planned experimental improvements could lead to a bound m_H ⩾ m_K−m_π.     

Anomalous magnetic moment of the muon in the left-right model

The effect of Higgs bosons on the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon is considered within the model that is based on the SU(2)_L×SU(2)_R×U(1)_B–L gauge group and which involves a bidoublet and two triplets of Higgs fields (left-right model). For the Yukawa coupling constants and the masses of Higgs bosons, the regions are found where the model leads to agreement with experimental results obtained at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) for the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. In order to explore corollaries from the constraints obtained for the parameters of the Higgs sector, the processes e⁺e^? → μ⁺μ^?, τ⁺τ^? and μ⁺μ^? → μ⁺μ^?, τ⁺τ^? are considered both within the left-right model and within the model involving two Higgs doublets (two-Higgs-doublet model). It is shown that, if the mass of the lightest neutral Higgs boson does indeed lie in the range 3.1–10 GeV, as is inferred from the condition requiring the consistency of the two-Higgs-doublet model with the data of the BNL experiment, this Higgs boson may be observed as a resonance peak at currently operating e⁺e^? colliders (VEPP-4M, CESR, KEKB, PEP-II, and SLC). In order to implement this program, however, it is necessary to reduce considerably the scatter of energy in the e⁺ and e^? beams used, since the decay width of the lightest neutral Higgs boson is extremely small at such mass values. It is demonstrated that, in the case of the left-right model, for which the mass of the lightest neutral Higgs boson is not less than 115 GeV, the resonance peak associated with it may be detected at a muon collider.     

Production on heavy Higgs bosons ate + e −-colliders

The production of Higgs bosons in the mass range of 200 GeV/c²<M _H <1TeV/c ² ate ⁺ e ^? super colliders is studied. We consider the possibilities to detect Higgs bosons via their decays into vector boson pairs. Single particle distributions of vektor bosons arising from this decay are compared with background reactions. We find, that the signal of Higgs bosons with masses up to 60- GeV/c² should be visible over the background already at \(\sqrt s = 1\) TeV, provided that the vektor bosons can be identified via their hadronic decay modes.     

Search for Higgs bosons decaying to WW in e+e- collisions at LEP

A search for Higgs bosons produced in association with a fermion pair, and decaying to WW, is performed with the data collected by the ALEPH detector at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 191 to 209 GeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 453.2 pb^-1. Thirteen exclusive selections are developed according to the different final state topologies. No statistically significant evidence for a Higgs boson decaying into a WW pair has been found. An upper limit is derived, as a function of the Higgs boson mass, on the product of the e⁺e^-→Hff̄ cross section and the H→WW branching ratio. The data on the search for H→WW are combined with previously published ALEPH results on the search for H→γγ, to significantly extend the limits on the mass of a fermiophobic Higgs boson.     

Exploring the SUSY Higgs sector ate +e− linear colliders: a synopsis

We discuss the Higgs scenario in the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model ate ⁺e^? linear colliders operating in the c.m. energy range between 300 and 500 GeV. Besides decays of the Higgs particles into ordinary fermions and cascade decays, we analyze also decays into gaugino/Higgsinos and in particular, neutral Higgs decays into the lightest supersymmetric particles which are invisible ifR-parity is conserved. The cross sections for the various production channels of SUSY Higgs particles ine ⁺e^? collisions are discussed in detail. The lightest Higgs boson cannot escape detection, and in major parts of the MSSM parameter space all five Higgs particles can be observed.     

Electron-positron annihilation into three jets in the integer-charge quark model

We discuss e⁺e^? → 3 jets in the integer-charge qaurk model. In the lowest non-trivial order, ignoring coloured Higgs scalars, we find that three-gluon jets would be observable at present PETRA energies if the gluon mass m_g ? 2 GeV. As an experimental test, the angular distribution is presented.     

Searching for a light Higgs boson

The Lindé-Weinberg bound [1] on the mass of the Higgs boson does not apply if one of the fermions of the standard model is very massive [2] or in non-standard models with multiple Higgs particles [1]. We consider both the standard model and a common extension thereof to two or more Higgs doublets. If the Higgs responsible for lepton masses is very light, one reliable method for indirectly detecting it would be a more careful measurement of g − 2 for the muon. More direct is the search for Higgs particles detected in association with τ pairs in existing or defunct e⁺e⁻ colliders operating well below the Z mass. We analyze both methods in detail, and find that data from several existing colliders could eliminate large portions of parameter space - or, perhaps, find the Higgs boson.     

Search for Higgs Bosons at LEP2 and Hadron Colliders

The search for the Higgs boson was one of the most relevant issues of the final years of LEP running at high energies. An excess of 3σ beyond the background expectation has been found, consistent with the production of the Higgs boson with a mass near 115 GeV/c². At the upgraded TeVatron and at LHC the search for the Higgs boson will continue. At TeVatron Higgs bosons can be detected with masses up to 180 GeV with an assumed total integrated luminosity of 20 fb^—1. LHC has the potential to discover the Higgs boson in many different decay channels for Higgs masses up to 1 TeV. It will be possible to measure Higgs boson parameters, such as mass, width, and couplings to fermions and bosons. The results from Higgs searches at LEP2 and the possibilities for searches at hadron colliders will be reviewed.     

Hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to the Lamb shift in muonic hydrogen

We report on the accuracy of the measurement of the total cross section of the process e⁺e^– ZH and of the Higgs boson mass that would be achieved in a linear collider operating at a centre-of-mass energy of 350 GeV, assuming an integrated luminosity of 500 fb^–1. For that we have exploited the recoil mass off the Z using its leptonic decays into electron and muon pairs. The Higgs mass is determined with 150 MeV accuracy, the recoil mass resolution is about 1.5 GeV and the cross section is obtained with a statistical error of 3%.     

Full O(αew) electroweak corrections to e+e−→HHZ

We calculate the full $\text{O}\text{(α}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>ew</mtext>}}\text{)}$ electroweak corrections to the Higgs pair production process e⁺e⁻→HHZ at an electron–positron linear collider in the standard model, and analyze the dependence of the Born cross section and the corrected cross section on the Higgs boson mass m_H and the c.m. energy $\text{s}$. To see the origin of some of the large corrections clearly, we calculate the QED and genuine weak corrections separately. The numerical results show that the corrections significantly suppress or enhance the Born cross section, depending on the values of m_H and $\text{s}$. For the c.m. energy $\text{s}\text{=500}$ GeV, which is the most favorable colliding energy for HHZ production with intermediate Higgs boson mass, the relative correction decreases from −5.3% to −11.5% as m_H increases from 100 to 150 GeV. For the range of the c.m. energy where the cross section is relatively large, the genuine weak relative correction is small, less than 5%.