Work

Double Higgs boson production via vector boson fusion in SMEFT

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: While gluon fusion dominates Higgs pair production at the LHC, vector boson fusion (VBF) offers a unique window into beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics through its distinctive kinematic features and direct sensitivity to Higgs-vector boson interactions. We perform a comprehensive analysis of double Higgs production via VBF in the Standard Model effective field theory (SMEFT), systematically investigating how dimension-6 and dimension-8 bosonic operators—particularly those involving field derivatives—can enhance the production rate. We identify the most relevant Wilson coefficients (WCs) affecting the trilinear Higgs coupling ( h h h ) and Higgs-vector boson interactions ( h V V , h h V V ). Using constraints from global fits and interpolating fit results for unconstrained WCs with naive dimensional analysis, we assess their effects on the V V → h h ( V = W , Z ) scattering amplitudes and cross sections. Our analysis includes a study of EFT convergence and validity in models with scalar extensions of the SM. Numerical simulations for the planned High-Luminosity LHC experiment (HL-LHC) in general reveal only a modest and challenging to detect enhancement of the VBF di-Higgs production rate over the SM prediction. However, we show that in optimistic scenarios, such a process could be observed at the HL-LHC. In certain cases, when the enhancement is dominated by the dimension-6 or dimension-8 operators containing field derivatives (and thus leading to stronger energy-dependent effects), this channel becomes competitive with di-Higgs production via gluon fusion. This work highlights the role of VBF di-Higgs production as a complementary channel for probing anomalous Higgs couplings and their impact on BSM physics.

Source: Physical review. D/Physical review. D.

DOI: 10.1103/bywd-2dy1

Authors: Athanasios Dedes, Janusz Rosiek, Michał Ryczkowski

Institutions: University of Ioannina, University of Warsaw, University of Padua, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova

Language: English

Topic: Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej

Awards: G4998514250, G8839840462