Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: We show how the $Z$ boson can be generated in gluon-gluon fusion and yield two photons, via $gg\ensuremath{\rightarrow}Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\gamma}$, through massive fermion loops only, thereby contributing events to a candidate Higgs sample in the diphoton channel. A subleading contribution also exists from $q\overline{q}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ events. Assuming the Standard Model, the corresponding event rates are negligible at the Large Hadron Collider stages of 7 and 8 TeV, given the luminosities collected therein (about 5 and $20\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{fb}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, respectively). Conversely, at 14 TeV, the first process becomes accessible for luminosities of order $300\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{fb}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Finally, we show how additional fermion states entering such loops, in production, in decay or in both cases, could affect the predictions in this channel by curiously mimicking Higgs signals.
Author: S. Moretti
Institution: University of Southampton
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Award: G5773488869
OpenAlex ID: W2174170996