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Portal matter models of kinetic mixing with two light dark gauge bosons

The kinetic mixing (KM) portal mandates the existence of at least one new gauge boson, the dark photon (DP) based on the group 𝑈⁢(1) 𝐷 , which mixes with the Standard Model (SM) photon via loops of other new heavy particles carrying both SM and dark charges called portal matter (PM). Arguments exist based on the renormalization group equations running of the 𝑈⁢(1) 𝐷 gauge coupling suggesting that at higher scales 𝑈⁢(1) 𝐷 becomes part of a more complex non-Abelian group, a simple example being just the SM-like 𝐺 𝐷 =𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(2)𝐼 ×𝑈⁢(1) 𝑌 𝐼 . In our past analyses, it was always assumed that 𝐺 𝐷 broke in a SM-like manner directly to the DP’s 𝑈⁢(1) 𝐷 which then subsequently broke at low energies ≲1 GeV. However, this need not be the case, and 𝐺 𝐷 can instead break to 𝑈⁢(1) 𝑇 3⁢𝐼 ×𝑈⁢(1) 𝑌 𝐼 , with 𝑇 3⁢𝐼 being the diagonal generator of 𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(2) 𝐼 , now producing two light gauge bosons which obtain masses at the ≲1 GeV scale. In this paper, we explore the phenomenology of a very simple realization of this kind of alternative setup employing non-Abelian KM and having a minimal, leptonlike PM sector, demonstrating its distinctive nature in comparison to the previously examined symmetry breaking path. The effects of interference between these gauge bosons on thermal dark matter annihilation, the production of new heavy gauge, and Higgs and PM states at colliders, as well as the corresponding signatures for the light dark gauge bosons are examined. Collider signatures of this setup are found to be particularly challenging.

extensions of Higgs sector

Toward UV models of kinetic mixing and portal matter. VI. A more complex dark matter sector?

Portal matter (PM), having both Standard Model (SM) and dark sector charges, can induce kinetic mixing between the 𝑈⁢(1) 𝐷 dark photon and the SM gauge fields at the 1-loop level offering an attractive mechanism by which light (≲1 GeV) thermal dark matter (DM) can interact with visible matter and obtain its observed relic density. In doing so, if the DM is fermionic, the CMB and other astrophysical observations inform us that it must be Majorana/pseudo-Dirac in nature to avoid velocity/temperature-independent 𝑠-wave annihilation to SM final states. How does this idea fit into a more UV-complete picture also including the SM interactions? There are some reasons to believe that at least a first step along this path may not lie too far away in energy due to the renormalization group equations running of the dark gauge coupling, which for a significant range of parameters, becomes nonperturbative at/before the ∼10’s of TeV energy range. This implies that 𝑈⁢(1) 𝐷 must become embedded in an asymptotically free, non-Abelian group, 𝐺 𝐷 , before this can occur. The breaking of this larger group then produces the masses for the PM and the additional gauge fields associated with 𝐺 𝐷 then can lead to new interactions between the SM and the dark sector. Following several bottom-up approaches, we have examined a set of distinctive and testable phenomenological features associated with this general setup, based upon a number of simplifying assumptions. Clearly, it behooves us to explore the impact of these specific assumptions on these predictions for the array of possible experimental tests of this class of models. In most past analyses it has been assumed that DM is a vectorlike, complex singlet under the group 𝐺 𝐷 . If this assumption is relaxed, the dark sector must be augmented by additional fermion(s) and the associated scalar fields needed to break the gauge symmetries while generating the needed Majorana-like mass terms for the DM. In this paper, we analyze the simplest extension of this kind wherein the DM lies in a vectorlike doublet of 𝐺 𝐷 , which we take to have the structure 𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(2) 𝐼 ×𝑈⁢(1) 𝑌 𝐼 as in earlier work, leading to new phenomenological implications. We find, for example, that given the current LHC search constraints on the masses of heavy gauge bosons, the production of these new dark states with large rates is unlikely to occur at colliders unless they are produced singly in 𝑔⁡𝑔 fusion or their pair production cross sections are resonantly enhanced. Here, we also find that an additional mechanism arises to generate hierarchal neutrino masses in such a setup.

Extensions of Higgs sector

Search for cascade decays of charged sleptons and sneutrinos in final states with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in 𝑝⁢𝑝 collisions at $\sqrt{𝑠} = 13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for cascade decays of charged sleptons and sneutrinos using final states characterized by three leptons (electrons or muons) and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on a dataset with 140 fb −1 of proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{𝑠} = 13$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This paper focuses on a supersymmetric scenario that is motivated by the muon anomalous magnetic moment observation, dark-mattter relic density abundance, and electroweak naturalness. A mass spectrum involving light Higgsinos and heavier sleptons with a bino at intermediate mass is targeted. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed. This search enables us to place stringent constraints on this model, excluding at the 95% confidence level charged slepton and sneutrino masses up to 450 GeV when assuming a lightest neutralino mass of 100 GeV and mass-degenerate selectrons, smuons and sneutrinos.

extensions of Higgs sector

Search for events with one displaced vertex from long-lived neutral particles decaying into hadronic jets in the ATLAS muon spectrometer in 𝑝⁢𝑝 collisions at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 13 TeV

A search for events with one displaced vertex from long-lived particles using data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is presented, using 140 fb −1 of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ =13 TeV recorded in 2015–2018. The search employs techniques for reconstructing vertices of long-lived particles decaying into hadronic jets in the muon spectrometer displaced between 3 m and 14 m from the primary interaction vertex. The observed number of events is consistent with the expected background and limits for several benchmark signals are determined. A scalar-portal model and a Higgs-boson-portal baryogenesis model are considered. A dedicated analysis channel is employed to target Z-boson associated long-lived particle production, including an axionlike particle and a dark photon model. For the Higgs boson model, branching fractions above 1% are excluded at 95% confidence level for long-lived particle proper decay lengths ranging from 5 cm to 40 m. For the photophobic axionlike particle model considered, this search produces the strongest limits to date for proper decay lengths greater than 𝒪⁡(10) cm.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS

Weakly supervised anomaly detection with event-level variables

We introduce a new topology for weakly supervised anomaly detection searches, diobject plus X. In this topology, one looks for a resonance decaying to two standard model particles produced in association with other anomalous event activity (X). This additional activity is used for classification. We demonstrate how anomaly detection techniques which have been developed for dijet searches focusing on jet substructure anomalies can be applied to event-level anomaly detection in this topology. To robustly capture event-level features of multiparticle kinematics, we employ new physically motivated variables derived from the geometric structure of a collision’s phase space manifold. As a proof of concept, we explore the application of this approach to several benchmark signals in the di-𝜏 and di-𝜇 plus X final states. We demonstrate that our anomaly detection approach can reach discovery-level significances for signals that would be missed in a conventional bump-hunt approach.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS

Composite quarks and leptons with embedded QCD

We construct a model of quark and lepton compositeness based on an 𝑆⁢𝑈⁡(15) gauge interaction that confines chiral preons, which are also charged under the weakly coupled 𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(4) PS ×𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(2) 𝐿 ×𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(2) 𝑅 gauge group. The breaking of the latter, down to the Standard Model group, is achieved by scalar 𝑆⁢𝑈⁡(15) bound states at a scale in the 30–100 TeV range. The embedding of the QCD gauge group in 𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(4) PS slows down the running of 𝛼 𝑠 in the UV. We estimate the effects of the strongly coupled 𝑆⁢𝑈⁡(15) dynamics on the running of the 𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(4) PS ×𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(2) 𝐿 ×𝑆⁢𝑈⁢(2) 𝑅 gauge couplings, which likely remain perturbative beyond the compositeness scale of about 10 3 –10 4 TeV, and even above a unification scale. A composite vectorlike lepton doublet acquires a mass in the TeV range probed at future colliders, and an extended Higgs sector arises from six-preon bound states.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS

Search for triple Higgs boson production in the 6⁢𝑏 final state using 𝑝⁢𝑝 collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for the production of three Higgs bosons (𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝐻) in the $b\bar{b}b\bar{b}b\bar{b}$ final state is presented. The search uses 126 fb −1 of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ =13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis targets both nonresonant and resonant production of 𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝐻. The resonant interpretations primarily consider a cascade decay topology of 𝑋 →𝑆⁢𝐻 → 𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝐻 with masses of the new scalars 𝑋 and 𝑆 up to 1.5 and 1 TeV, respectively. In addition to scenarios where 𝑆 is off-shell, the nonresonant interpretation includes a search for Standard Model 𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝐻 production, with limits on the trilinear and quartic Higgs self-coupling set. No evidence for 𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝐻 production is observed. An upper limit of 59 fb is set, at the 95% confidence level, on the cross section for Standard Model 𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝐻 production.

Artificial neural networks

Higgs potential from instantons

We propose that the Higgs potential, a key element in our understanding of nature, is partially generated by the instantons of new confining dynamics, perhaps from a hidden sector. In this picture, while the Higgs itself is a fundamental field, it controls the strength of the nonperturbative interactions that give rise to its potential. This setup can be realized in “Twin Higgs” hierarchy models, where the twin strong dynamics confines at or above the weak scale, but large quantum corrections to the Higgs potential are avoided. We examine a simple setup in which this instanton contribution is augmented by a quartic term, which is sufficient for a realistic electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism. The minimum of the potential is given by the Lambert 𝑊 0 function, with these assumptions. We discuss the predictions of this model and how it may be tested through measurements of the Higgs self coupling. Given the connection with nontrivial dynamics, one may also consider the prospects of accessing hidden sector states at colliders; this seems to be typically challenging in our setup. Symmetry restoration in the early Universe in this scenario is briefly examined. We also comment on the possible connection of our general setup with recent work on the physics of field space end points.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS

Search for New Resonances Decaying to Pairs of Merged Diphotons in Proton-Proton Collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

A search is presented for an extended Higgs sector with two new particles, 𝑋 and 𝜙, in the process 𝑋 → 𝜙⁢𝜙 → (𝛾⁢𝛾)⁢(𝛾⁢𝛾). Novel neural networks classify events with diphotons that are merged and determine the diphoton masses. The search uses LHC proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected with the CMS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb −1 . No evidence of such resonances is seen. Upper limits are set on the production cross section for 𝑚 𝑋 between 300 and 3000 GeV and 𝑚 𝜙 /𝑚 𝑋 between 0.5% and 2.5%, representing the most sensitive search in this channel.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS

Search for decays of the Higgs boson into scalar particles decaying into four or six 𝑏 quarks using 𝑝⁢𝑝 collisions at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson 𝐻 into new scalar or pseudoscalar particles that subsequently decay into 𝑏-quarks is presented. The search considers 𝑍⁢𝐻 production with several decay scenarios for the Higgs boson; first to a pair of identical scalars, 𝐻 → 2⁢𝑎 → 4⁢𝑏, second to a pair of scalars with different masses (𝑚 𝑎⁢1 < 𝑚 𝑎⁢2 ), either directly, 𝐻 → 𝑎 1 ⁢𝑎 2 → 4⁢𝑏, or via a longer decay chain, 𝐻 → 𝑎 1 ⁢𝑎 2 → 3⁢𝑎 1 → 6⁢𝑏. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb −1 . No significant excess above the Standard Model prediction is observed. The search sets upper limits at 95% confidence level on the ratio of the Higgs boson production cross section to the SM prediction times the branching ratio of Higgs bosons decaying into 4⁢𝑏 or 6⁢𝑏, between 4% and 25% for 𝜎⁡(𝑍⁢𝐻)/𝜎 SM ⁡(𝑍⁢𝐻) × ℬ⁡(𝐻→ 2⁢𝑎→ 4⁢𝑏), between 24% and 38% for 𝜎⁡(𝑍⁢𝐻)/𝜎 SM ⁡(𝑍⁢𝐻) × ℬ⁡(𝐻 → 𝑎 1 ⁢𝑎 2 → 4⁢𝑏), and between 10% and 20% for 𝜎⁡(𝑍⁢𝐻)/𝜎 SM ⁡(𝑍⁢𝐻) × ℬ⁡(𝐻→𝑎 1⁢ 𝑎 2 → 3⁢𝑎 1 → 6⁢𝑏), depending on the masses of the scalar particles.

extensions of Higgs sector

Consequences of minimal entanglement in bosonic field theories

In this paper, we study a recently discovered connection between scattering that minimally entangles and emergent symmetries. In a perturbative expansion, we have generalized the constraints of minimal entanglement scattering, beyond qubits, to general qudits of dimension d . Interestingly, projecting on any qubit subspaces, the constraints factorize, so that it is consistent to analyze minimal entanglement by looking at all such subspaces. We start by looking at toy models with two scalar fields, finding that minimal entanglement only allows quartic couplings which have instabilities at large field values and no symmetries. For the two Higgs doublet model, by considering H + H − → H + H − scattering, we show that minimal entanglement in this channel does not allow an interacting parameter point with enhanced symmetries. These results show that the connection between minimal entanglement and symmetries depends strongly on the scattering channels analyzed and we speculate on the potential resolutions. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS

Hitting the Thermal Target for Leptophilic Dark Matter at Future Lepton Colliders

We study future lepton collider prospects for testing predictive models of leptophilic dark matter (DM) candidates with a thermal origin. We calculate experimental milestones for testing the parameter space compatible with freeze-out and the associated collider signals at past, present, and future facilities. This analysis places new limits on such models by leveraging the utility of lepton colliders. At 𝑒+⁢𝑒− machines, we make projections using precision 𝑍 -pole observables from 𝑒+⁢𝑒−→ℓ+⁢ℓ−+𝐸 signatures at large electron-positron collider and future projections for future circular collider (ee) in these channels. Additionally, a muon collider could also probe new thermal relic parameter space in this scenario via 𝜇+⁢𝜇−→𝑋+𝐸 , where 𝑋 is any easily identifiable standard model object. Collectively, these processes can probe much of the parameter space for which DM direct annihilation to ℓ+⁢ℓ− yields the observed relic density in Higgs-like models with mass-proportional couplings to charged leptons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS

Strong CP and flavor in multi-Higgs theories

We introduce a class of multi-Higgs doublet extensions of the Standard Model that solve the strong problem with profound consequences for the flavor sector. The Yukawa matrices are constrained to have many zero entries by a “Higgs-flavor” symmetry, , that acts on Higgs and quark fields. The violation of both and occurs in the Higgs mass matrix so that, for certain choices of charges, the strong parameter is zero at tree level. Radiative corrections to are computed in this class of theories. They vanish in realistic two-Higgs doublet models with . We also construct realistic three-Higgs models with , where the one-loop results for are model-dependent. Requiring has important implications for the flavor problem by constraining the Yukawa coupling and Higgs mass matrices. Contributions to from higher-dimension operators are computed at one loop and can also be sufficiently small, although the hierarchy problem of this class of theories is worse than in the Standard Model.

Hall, Lawrence

Combination of searches for singly produced vectorlike top quarks in 𝑝⁢𝑝 collisions at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ =13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A combination of searches for the single production of vectorlike top quarks (𝑇) is presented. These analyses are based on proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 13 TeV recorded in 2015–2018 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb −1 . The 𝑇 decay modes considered in this combination are into a top quark and either a Standard Model Higgs boson or a 𝑍 boson (𝑇 → 𝐻⁡𝑡 and 𝑇 → 𝑍⁢𝑡). The individual searches used in the combination are differentiated by the number of leptons (𝑒, 𝜇) in the final state. The observed data are found to be in good agreement with the Standard Model background prediction. Interpretations are provided for a range of masses and couplings of the vectorlike top quark for benchmark models and generalized representations in terms of 95% confidence level limits. For a benchmark signal prediction of a vectorlike top quark SU(2) singlet with electroweak coupling, 𝜅, of 0.5, masses below 2.1 TeV are excluded, resulting in the most restrictive limits to date.

Composite models

The electroweak precision constraints of the 2HDM+S

The 2HDM+S is the singlet extension of the Two-Higgs-Doublets Model (2HDM). The singlet field and its mixing with the 2HDM Higgs sector lead to new contributions to the electroweak precision observables, in particular, the oblique parameters. In this paper, we performed a systematic study of the impacts of each mixing angle to the oblique parameters. We adopted the mixing angles and physical Higgs masses as our parameters, which allows a mapping when specific symmetry structure of the Higgs potential and various theoretical considerations are taken into account. We identify five benchmark cases, where at most one mixing angle is nonzero and analyze the 95\% C.L. allowed parameter space by the oblique parameters. In the alignment limit of the 2HDM, we find that other than the usual mass relations of $m_H\sim m_{H^\pm}$ or $m_A\sim m_{H^\pm}$, electroweak precision measurements also impose an upper limit on the neutral Higgs masses. In the cases with nonzero singlet mixing with the 2HDM Higgses $H$ or $A$, we find approximate mass relations of $c^2_{\alpha_{HS}} m_{H} + s^2_{\alpha_{HS}}m_{h_S} = m_{H^\pm}$ or $c^2_{\alpha_{AS}} m_{A} + s^2_{\alpha_{AS}}m_{A_S} = m_{H^\pm}$. Those relations are universal to the 2HDM+S models, with or without further symmetry assumption. We also study the non-alignment limit of the 2HDM+S, which typically has tighter constraints on the masses and mixing angles. At the end, we examine the complementarity between the electroweak precision analyses and the Higgs coupling precision measurements.

2HDM