Higgs bosons in the simplest SUSY models

Nowadays, in the MSSM, the moderate values of tan β are almost excluded by the LEP II lower bound on the mass of the lightest Higgs boson. In the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model (NMSSM), the theoretical upper bound on it increases and reaches a maximal value in the limit of strong Yukawa coupling, where all solutions to renormalization-group equations are concentrated near the quasifixed point. For a calculation of the Higgs boson spectrum, the perturbation-theory method can be applied. We investigate the particle spectrum within the modified NMSSM, which leads to the self-consistent solution in the limit of strong Yukawa coupling. This model allows one to get m _h～125 GeV at tan β≥1.9. In the model under investigation, the mass of the lightest Higgs boson does not exceed 130.5±3.5 GeV. The upper bound on the mass of the lightest CP-even Higgs boson in more complicated supersymmetric models is also discussed.     

Quasifixed-point scenario in a modified nonminimal supersymmetric standard model

The modified next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model is the simplest model that is obtained as an extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model and which is compatible with the LEP II experimental constraint on the mass of the lightest Higgs boson at tan β～1. The renormalization of Yukawa coupling constants and of the parameters of a soft breakdown of supersymmetry is investigated within this model. The possibility of unifying the Yukawa coupling constants for the b quark and the τ lepton at the Grand Unification scale M _X is studied. The spectrum of particles is analyzed in the vicinity of a quasifixed point where solutions to the renormalization-group equations are concentrated at the electroweak scale.     

Renormalization of parameters of a soft breakdown of supersymmetry in the regime of strong yukawa coupling within a nonminimal supersymmetric standard model

Within a nonminimal supersymmetric (SuSy) model, the renormalization of trilinear coupling constants A _i(t) for scalar fields and of specific combinations $\mathfrak{M}_i^2 (t)$ of the scalar-particle masses is investigated in the regime of strong Yukawa coupling. The dependence of these parameters on their initial values at the Grand Unification scale disappears as solutions to the renormalization-group equations approach infrared quasifixed points with increasing Y _i(0). In the vicinities of quasifixed points for $\tilde \alpha _{GUT} \ll Y_i (0) \ll 1$ , all solutions A _i(t) and $\mathfrak{M}_i^2 (t)$ are concentrated near some straight lines or planes in the space of parameters of a soft breakdown of supersymmetry. This behavior of the solutions in question is explained by a sufficiently slow disappearance of the A _i(0) and $\mathfrak{M}_i^2 (t)$ dependence of the trilinear coupling constants and combinations of the scalar-particle masses. A method is proposed for deriving equations describing the aforementioned straight lines and planes, and the process of their formation is discussed by considering the example of exact and approximate solutions to the renormalization-group equations within a nonminimal supersymmetric standard model.     

Particle spectrum in the modified nonminimal supersymmetric standard model in the strong Yukawa coupling regime

A theoretical analysis of solutions of renormalization group equations in the minimal supersymmetric standard model, which lead to a quasi-fixed point has shown that the mass of the lightest Higgs boson in these models does not exceed 94 ± 5 GeV. This implies that a considerable part of the parameter space in the minimal supersymmetric model is in fact eliminated by existing LEPII experimental data. In the nonminimal supersymmetric standard model the upper bound on the mass of the lightest Higgs boson reaches its maximum in the strong Yukawa coupling regime when the Yukawa constants are substantially greater than the gauge constants on the grand unification scale. In the present paper the particle spectrum is studied using the simplest modification of the nonminimal supersymmetric standard model which gives a self-consistent solution in this region of parameter space. This model can give m _h ～ 125 GeV even for comparatively low values of β ≥ 1.9. The spectrum of Higgs bosons and neutralinos is analyzed using the method of diagonalizing mass matrices proposed earlier. In this model the mass of the lightest Higgs boson does not exceed 130.5 ± 3.5 GeV.     

Inverse seesaw in NMSSM and 126 GeV Higgs boson

We consider extensions of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric model (NMSSM) in which the observed neutrino masses are generated through a TeV scale inverse seesaw mechanism. The new particles associated with this mechanism can have sizable couplings to the Higgs field which can yield a large contribution to the mass of the lightest CP-even Higgs boson. With this new contribution, a 126 GeV Higgs is possible along with order of 200 GeV masses for the stop quarks for a broad range of tan β. The Higgs production and decay in the diphoton channel can be enhanced due to this new contribution. It is also possible to solve the little hierarchy problem in this model without invoking a maximal value for the NMSSM trilinear coupling and without severe restrictions on the value of tan β.     

Triviality bound on lightest Higgs mass in next to minimal supersymmetric model

We study the implication of triviality on Higgs sector in next to minimal supersymmetric model (NMSSM) using variational field theory. It is shown that the mass of the lightest Higgs boson in NMSSM has an upper bound ∼10M _W which is of the same order as that in the standard model.     

Particle mass limits in minimal and nonminimal supersymmetric models

A review of the Higgs and neutralino sector of supersymmetric models is presented. This includes the upper limit on the mass of the lightest Higgs boson in the minimal supersymmetric standard model, as well as models based on the standard model gauge groupSU(2) _L xU(l) _Y with extended Higgs sectors. We then discuss the Higgs sector of left-right supersymmetric models, which conserveR-parity as a consequence of gauge invariance, and present a calculable upper bound on the mass of the lightest Higgs boson in these models. We also discuss the neutralino sector of general supersymmetric models based on the SM gauge group. We show that, as a consequence of gauge coupling unification, an upper bound on the mass of the lightest neutralino as a function of the gluino mass can be obtained.     

Production and decay of neutralinos in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model

Within the framework of the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) we study neutralino production (i,j=1, …, 5) at center-of-mass energies between 100 and 600 GeV and the decays of the heavier neutralinos into the LSP plus a fermion pair, a photon or a Higgs boson. For representative gaugino/higgsino mixing scenarios, where the light neutralinos have significant singlet components, we find some striking differences between the NMSSM and the minimal supersymmetric model. Since in the NMSSM neutralino and Higgs sector are strongly correlated, the decay of the second lightest neutralino into a Higgs boson and the LSP often is kinematically possible and even dominant in a large parameter region of typical NMSSM scenarios. Also, the decay rates into final states with a photon may be enhanced.     

Confronting the MSSM and the NMSSM with the discovery of a signal in the two photon channel at the LHC

We confront the discovery of a boson decaying into two photons, as reported recently by ATLAS and CMS, with the corresponding predictions in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) and the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM). We perform a scan over the relevant regions of parameter space in both models and evaluate the MSSM and NMSSM predictions for the dominant Higgs production channel and the photon–photon decay channel. Taking into account the experimental constraints from previous direct searches, flavor physics, electroweak measurements as well as theoretical considerations, we find that a Higgs signal in the two photon channel with a rate equal to, or above, the SM prediction is viable over the full mass range 123?M _H ?127 GeV, both in the MSSM and the NMSSM. We find that besides the interpretation of a possible signal at about 125 GeV in terms of the lightest $\mathcal {CP}$ -even Higgs boson, both the MSSM and the NMSSM permit also a viable interpretation where an observed state at about 125 GeV would correspond to the second-lightest $\mathcal {CP}$ -even Higgs boson in the spectrum, which would be accompanied by another light Higgs with suppressed couplings to W and Z bosons. We find that a significant enhancement of the γγ rate, compatible with the signal strengths observed by ATLAS and CMS, is possible in both the MSSM and the NMSSM, and we analyse in detail different mechanisms in the two models that can give rise to such an enhancement. We briefly discuss also our predictions in the two models for the production and subsequent decay into two photons of a $\mathcal {CP}$ -odd Higgs boson.     

Indirect methods for determining heavy-neutrino masses

Within the two-flavor approximation, equations that relate the oscillation parameters for both light and heavy neutrinos to the Yukawa coupling constants and the vacuum expectation values of the Higgs fields are derived within the left-right model. The contributions from Higgs bosons to the muon anomalous magnetic moment, to the cross sections for lepton-flavor-violating processes, and to the cross sections for low-energy light-neutrino scattering are studied in order to determine the Yukawa coupling constants. It is shown that the heavy-neutrino masses $m_{N_{1,2} } $ can be expressed in terms of only the triplet Yukawa coupling constants and the mass of the gauge boson W ₂. Data on direct and inverse muon decay and constraints on the masses of the $\tilde \delta ^{( - )} , \Delta _{1,2}^{( - - )} $ and W ₂ bosons are used to obtain bounds on $m_{N_{1,2} } $ both in the absence of degeneracy and in the presence of mass degeneracy in the sector of heavy neutrinos. Only in the case of degeneracy are data concerning the explanation of the (g ? 2)_μ anomaly used to determine bounds on $m_{N_{1,2} } $ .     

Constraints on the MSSM from the Higgs sector

We discuss the constraints on supersymmetry in the Higgs sector arising from LHC searches, rare B decays and dark matter direct detection experiments. We show that constraints derived on the mass of the lightest h ⁰ and the CP-odd A ⁰ bosons from these searches are covering a larger fraction of the SUSY parameter space compared to searches for strongly interacting supersymmetric particle partners. We discuss the implications of a mass determination for the lightest Higgs boson in the range 123<M _h <127?GeV, inspired by the intriguing hints reported by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations, as well as those of a non-observation of the lightest Higgs boson for MSSM scenarios not excluded at the end of 2012 by LHC and direct dark matter searches and their implications on LHC SUSY searches.     

Effective two Higgs doublets in nonminimal supersymmetric models

The Higgs sectors of supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model have two doublets in the minimal version (MSSM), and two doublets plus a singlet in two others: with (UMSSM) and without (NMSSM) an extra U(1)′. A very concise comparison of these three models is possible if we assume that the singlet has a somewhat larger breaking scale compared to the electroweak scale. In that case, the UMSSM and the NMSSM become effectively two-Higgs-doublet models (THDM), like the MSSM. In this approach the well-known upper mass bounds on the lightest CP-even neutral Higgs boson can be derived in a very simple and transparent way.     

The search for a supersymmetric Higgs boson at LEP

It is shown that LEP can set a lower bound on the mass of the lightest supersymmetric Higgs boson (H₂⁰) only if both processes Z⁰→H₂⁰μ⁺μ⁻ and Z⁰→H₂⁰H₃⁰ (where H₃⁰ is an extra supersymmetric Higgs) are simultaneously considered.     

Non-anomalous discrete R-symmetry, extra matters, and enhancement of the lightest SUSY Higgs mass

We consider low-energy supersymmetric model with non-anomalous discrete R-symmetry. To make the R-symmetry non-anomalous, we add new particles to the particle content of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). Those new particles may couple to the Higgs boson, resulting in a significant enhancement of the lightest Higgs mass. We show that, in such a model, the lightest Higgs mass can be much larger than the MSSM upper bound; the lightest Higgs mass as large as 140 GeV (or larger) becomes possible.     

K 0 → \bar K^0 and B 0 → \bar B^0 transitions in the minimal supersymmetric standard model involving explicit CP violation in the Higgs sector

Mixing in the systems of neutral K ⁰ and B ⁰ mesons is considered within the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) containing a type-II Yukawa sector and featuring an explicitCP violation in the Higgs potential. In the case of a strong mixing of CP-even and CP-odd states, the model admits the presence of a light charged Higgs boson. Basic mixing parameters are calculated. These include the mass difference Δm _LS between neutral kaons and the parameter ε, which characterizes the amount of an indirect CP violation (that is, that which arises owing to an ultraweak mixing of CP-invariant and CP-noninvariant components). In the limit of the low-energy one-loop approximation, it is shown that, for the K ⁰ mesons, the contribution of nonstandard-physics effects to the mass splitting of the neutral kaons and an indirect CP violation are very small and are weakly dependent on the mass of the charged Higgs boson. Under certain conditions, the nonstandard contributions for the B ⁰- $ \bar B_d^0 $ and B ⁰- $ \bar B_s^0 $ systems may become somewhat more substantial, which constrains the MSSM parameter space.     

NMSSM Higgs benchmarks near 125 GeV

The recent LHC indications of a SM-like Higgs boson near 125 GeV are consistent not only with the Standard Model (SM) but also with Supersymmetry (SUSY). However naturalness arguments disfavour the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). We consider the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) with a SM-like Higgs boson near 125 GeV involving relatively light stops and gluinos below 1 TeV in order to satisfy naturalness requirements. We are careful to ensure that the chosen values of couplings do not become non-perturbative below the grand unification (GUT) scale, although we also examine how these limits may be extended by the addition of extra matter to the NMSSM at the two-loop level. We then propose four sets of benchmark points corresponding to the SM-like Higgs boson being the lightest or the second lightest Higgs state in the NMSSM or the NMSSM-with-extra-matter. With the aid of these benchmark points we discuss how the NMSSM Higgs boson near 125 GeV may be distinguished from the SM Higgs boson in future LHC searches.     

Comparison of the processes of Higgs boson pair production and associated production of a radion and a Higgs boson

It is demonstrated that a radion and a Higgs boson are similar up to the replacement of masses and coupling constants (m _r → m _h and Λ _r → v ₀) in the processes of their single production and the additional rescaling of the coupling constant at the cubic self-action of a Higgs boson \(\left( {1 \to 1 + \frac{{m_r^2 - m_h^2}}{{3m_h^2}}} \right)\) in the processes of their associated production.     

First-order electroweak phase transition powered by additional F-term loop effects in an extended supersymmetric Higgs sector

We investigate the one-loop effect of new charged scalar bosons on the Higgs potential at finite temperatures in the supersymmetric standard model with four Higgs doublet chiral superfields as well as a pair of charged singlet chiral superfields. In this model, the mass of the lightest Higgs boson h is determined only by the D-term in the Higgs potential at the tree-level, while the triple Higgs boson coupling for hhh can receive a significant radiative correction due to nondecoupling one-loop contributions of the additional charged scalar bosons. We find that the same nondecoupling mechanism can also contribute to realize stronger first order electroweak phase transition than that in the minimal supersymmetric standard model, which is definitely required for a successful scenario of electroweak baryogenesis. Therefore, this model can be a new candidate for a model in which the baryon asymmetry of the Universe is explained at the electroweak scale.     

Embedding Z′ models in SO(10) GUTs

We embed a theory with Z′ gauge boson (related to an extra U(1) gauge group) into a supersymmetric GUT theory based on SO(10). Two possible sequences of SO(10) breaking via VEVs of appropriate Higgs fields are considered. Gauge coupling unification provides constraints on the low energy values of two additional gauge coupling constants related to Z′ interactions with fermions. Our main purpose is to investigate in detail the freedom in these two values due to different scales of subsequent SO(10) breaking and unknown threshold mass corrections in the gauge RGEs. These corrections are mainly generated by Higgs representations and can be large because of the large dimensions of these representations. To account for many free mass parameters, effective threshold mass corrections have been introduced. Analytic results that show the allowed regions of values of two additional gauge coupling constants have been derived at 1-loop level. For a few points in parameter-space that belong to one of these allowed regions 1-loop running of gauge coupling constants has been compared with more precise running, which is 2-loop for gauge coupling constants and 1-loop for Yukawa coupling constants. 1-loop results have been compared with experimental constraints from electroweak precision tests and from the most recent LHC data.     

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.