Low mass Higgs signals at the LHC in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model

In the NMSSM, because of introducing a complex singlet superfield, the lightest CP-odd Higgs boson, a ₁, can be a singlet-like state with a tiny doublet component in large regions of parameter space. In this paper, we examine the discovery potential of a ₁ produced in association with a bottom–antibottom pair at the LHC through τ ⁺ τ ⁻ and γγ decay modes. It is shown that an a ₁ with mass ≤M _Z can be extracted from the SM backgrounds by using the τ ⁺ τ ⁻ decay channel, a possibility precluded to the MSSM. In contrast, the γγ decay mode is overwhelmed by backgrounds despite the fact that the branching ratio of this mode can reach unity when a ₁ is a pure singlet.