Search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a Z boson and a light pseudoscalar particle decaying to two photons

The ATLAS Collaboration

doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2024.138536

Search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a Z boson and a light pseudoscalar particle decaying to two photons

The ATLAS Collaboration

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

A search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a Z boson and a light, pseudoscalar particle, a, decaying respectively to two leptons and to two photons is reported. The search uses the full LHC Run 2 proton-proton collision data at √s = 13 TeV, corresponding to 139 fb⁻¹ collected by the ATLAS detector. This is one of the first searches for this specific decay mode of the Higgs boson, and it probes unexplored parameter space in models with axion-like particles (ALPs) and extended scalar sectors. The mass of the a particle is assumed to be in the range 0.1-33 GeV. The data are analysed in two categories: a merged category where the photons from the a decay are reconstructed in the ATLAS calorimeter as a single cluster, and a resolved category in which two separate photons are detected. The main background processes are from Standard Model Z boson production in association with photons or jets. The data are in agreement with the background predictions, and upper limits on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to Za times the branching ratio a→γγ are derived at the 95% confidence level and they range from 0.08% to 2% depending on the mass of the a particle. The results are also interpreted in the context of ALP models.

Original language	English
Article number	138536
Pages (from-to)	1-24
Number of pages	24
Journal	Physics Letters B
Volume	850
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2024.138536
Publication status	Published - Mar 2024
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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10.1016/j.physletb.2024.138536Licence: CC BY

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 3.17 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{b1a45ecd8b514f5f8a1d471979ae4b76,

title = "Search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a Z boson and a light pseudoscalar particle decaying to two photons",

abstract = "A search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a Z boson and a light, pseudoscalar particle, a, decaying respectively to two leptons and to two photons is reported. The search uses the full LHC Run 2 proton-proton collision data at √s = 13 TeV, corresponding to 139 fb−1 collected by the ATLAS detector. This is one of the first searches for this specific decay mode of the Higgs boson, and it probes unexplored parameter space in models with axion-like particles (ALPs) and extended scalar sectors. The mass of the a particle is assumed to be in the range 0.1-33 GeV. The data are analysed in two categories: a merged category where the photons from the a decay are reconstructed in the ATLAS calorimeter as a single cluster, and a resolved category in which two separate photons are detected. The main background processes are from Standard Model Z boson production in association with photons or jets. The data are in agreement with the background predictions, and upper limits on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to Za times the branching ratio a→γγ are derived at the 95% confidence level and they range from 0.08% to 2% depending on the mass of the a particle. The results are also interpreted in the context of ALP models.",

author = "{The ATLAS Collaboration} and G. Aad and B. Abbott and K. Abeling and Abicht, {N. J.} and Abidi, {S. H.} and A. Aboulhorma and H. Abramowicz and H. Abreu and Y. Abulaiti and Acharya, {B. S.} and {Adam Bourdarios}, C. and L. Adamczyk and Addepalli, {S. V.} and Addison, {M. J.} and J. Adelman and A. Adiguzel and T. Adye and Affolder, {A. A.} and Y. Afik and Agaras, {M. N.} and J. Agarwala and A. Aggarwal and C. Agheorghiesei and A. Ahmad and F. Ahmadov and Ahmed, {W. S.} and S. Ahuja and X. Ai and G. Aielli and A. Aikot and {Ait Tamlihat}, M. and B. Aitbenchikh and I. Aizenberg and M. Akbiyik and {\AA}kesson, {T. P.A.} and Akimov, {A. V.} and D. Akiyama and Akolkar, {N. N.} and {Al Khoury}, K. and Alberghi, {G. L.} and J. Albert and P. Albicocco and Albouy, {G. L.} and S. Alderweireldt and M. Aleksa and Aleksandrov, {I. N.} and C. Alexa and T. Alexopoulos and F. Alfonsi and M. Algren and M. Alhroob and B. Ali and Ali, {H. M.J.} and S. Ali and Alibocus, {S. W.} and M. Aliev and G. Alimonti and W. Alkakhi and C. Allaire and Allbrooke, {B. M.M.} and Allen, {J. F.} and {Allendes Flores}, {C. A.} and Allport, {P. P.} and A. Aloisio and F. Alonso and C. Alpigiani and {Alvarez Estevez}, M. and {Alvarez Fernandez}, A. and {Alves Cardoso}, M. and Alviggi, {M. G.} and M. Aly and {Amaral Coutinho}, Y. and A. Ambler and C. Amelung and M. Amerl and Ames, {C. G.} and D. Amidei and {Amor Dos Santos}, {S. P.} and Amos, {K. R.} and V. Ananiev and C. Anastopoulos and T. Andeen and Anders, {J. K.} and Andrean, {S. Y.} and A. Andreazza and S. Angelidakis and A. Angerami and Anisenkov, {A. V.} and A. Annovi and C. Antel and Anthony, {M. T.} and E. Antipov and M. Antonelli and F. Anulli and M. Aoki and T. Aoki and {Aparisi Pozo}, {J. A.} and Aparo, {M. A.} and {Aperio Bella}, L. and C. Appelt and A. Apyan and N. Aranzabal and {Arbiol Val}, {S. J.} and C. Arcangeletti and Arce, {A. T.H.} and E. Arena and Arguin, {J. F.} and S. Argyropoulos and Arling, {J. H.} and O. Arnaez and H. Arnold and G. Artoni and H. Asada and K. Asai and S. Asai and Asbah, {N. A.} and K. Assamagan and R. Astalos and S. Atashi and Atkin, {R. J.} and M. Atkinson and H. Atmani and Atmasiddha, {P. A.} and K. Augsten and S. Auricchio and Auriol, {A. D.} and Austrup, {V. A.} and G. Avolio and K. Axiotis and G. Azuelos and D. Babal and H. Bachacou and K. Bachas and A. Bachiu and F. Backman and A. Badea and P. Bagnaia and M. Bahmani and Bailey, {A. J.} and Bailey, {V. R.} and Baines, {J. T.} and L. Baines and Baker, {O. K.} and E. Bakos and {Bakshi Gupta}, D. and V. Balakrishnan and R. Balasubramanian and Baldin, {E. M.} and P. Balek and E. Ballabene and F. Balli and Baltes, {L. M.} and Balunas, {W. K.} and J. Balz and E. Banas and M. Bandieramonte and A. Bandyopadhyay and S. Bansal and L. Barak and M. Barakat and Barberio, {E. L.} and D. Barberis and M. Barbero and Barel, {M. Z.} and Barends, {K. N.} and T. Barillari and Barisits, {M. S.} and T. Barklow and P. Baron and {Baron Moreno}, {D. A.} and A. Baroncelli and G. Barone and Barr, {A. J.} and Barr, {J. D.} and {Barranco Navarro}, L. and F. Barreiro and {Barreiro Guimar{\~a}es Da Costa}, J. and U. Barron and {Barros Teixeira}, {M. G.} and S. Barsov and F. Bartels and R. Bartoldus and Barton, {A. E.} and P. Bartos and A. Basan and M. Baselga and A. Bassalat and Basso, {M. J.} and Basson, {C. R.} and Bates, {R. L.} and S. Batlamous and Batley, {J. R.} and B. Batool and M. Battaglia and D. Battulga and M. Bauce and M. Bauer and P. Bauer and {Bazzano Hurrell}, {L. T.} and Beacham, {J. B.} and T. Beau and Beaucamp, {J. Y.} and Beauchemin, {P. H.} and F. Becherer and P. Bechtle and Beck, {H. P.} and K. Becker and Beddall, {A. J.} and Bednyakov, {V. A.} and Bee, {C. P.} and Beemster, {L. J.} and Beermann, {T. A.} and M. Begalli and M. Begel and A. Behera and Behr, {J. K.} and Beirer, {J. F.} and F. Beisiegel and M. Belfkir and G. Bella and L. Bellagamba and A. Bellerive and P. Bellos and K. Beloborodov and D. Benchekroun and F. Bendebba and Y. Benhammou and M. Benoit and Bensinger, {J. R.} and S. Bentvelsen and L. Beresford and M. Beretta and {Bergeaas Kuutmann}, E. and N. Berger and B. Bergmann and J. Beringer and G. Bernardi and C. Bernius and Bernlochner, {F. U.} and F. Bernon and T. Berry and P. Berta and A. Berthold and Bertram, {I. A.} and S. Bethke and A. Betti and Bevan, {A. J.} and Bhalla, {N. K.} and M. Bhamjee and J. Shojaii",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2024",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.physletb.2024.138536",

language = "English",

volume = "850",

pages = "1--24",

journal = "Physics Letters B",

issn = "0370-2693",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a Z boson and a light pseudoscalar particle decaying to two photons

AU - The ATLAS Collaboration

AU - Aad, G.

AU - Abbott, B.

AU - Abeling, K.

AU - Abicht, N. J.

AU - Abidi, S. H.

AU - Aboulhorma, A.

AU - Abramowicz, H.

AU - Abreu, H.

AU - Abulaiti, Y.

AU - Acharya, B. S.

AU - Adam Bourdarios, C.

AU - Adamczyk, L.

AU - Addepalli, S. V.

AU - Addison, M. J.

AU - Adelman, J.

AU - Adiguzel, A.

AU - Adye, T.

AU - Affolder, A. A.

AU - Afik, Y.

AU - Agaras, M. N.

AU - Agarwala, J.

AU - Aggarwal, A.

AU - Agheorghiesei, C.

AU - Ahmad, A.

AU - Ahmadov, F.

AU - Ahmed, W. S.

AU - Ahuja, S.

AU - Ai, X.

AU - Aielli, G.

AU - Aikot, A.

AU - Ait Tamlihat, M.

AU - Aitbenchikh, B.

AU - Aizenberg, I.

AU - Akbiyik, M.

AU - Åkesson, T. P.A.

AU - Akimov, A. V.

AU - Akiyama, D.

AU - Akolkar, N. N.

AU - Al Khoury, K.

AU - Alberghi, G. L.

AU - Albert, J.

AU - Albicocco, P.

AU - Albouy, G. L.

AU - Alderweireldt, S.

AU - Aleksa, M.

AU - Aleksandrov, I. N.

AU - Alexa, C.

AU - Alexopoulos, T.

AU - Alfonsi, F.

AU - Algren, M.

AU - Alhroob, M.

AU - Ali, B.

AU - Ali, H. M.J.

AU - Ali, S.

AU - Alibocus, S. W.

AU - Aliev, M.

AU - Alimonti, G.

AU - Alkakhi, W.

AU - Allaire, C.

AU - Allbrooke, B. M.M.

AU - Allen, J. F.

AU - Allendes Flores, C. A.

AU - Allport, P. P.

AU - Aloisio, A.

AU - Alonso, F.

AU - Alpigiani, C.

AU - Alvarez Estevez, M.

AU - Alvarez Fernandez, A.

AU - Alves Cardoso, M.

AU - Alviggi, M. G.

AU - Aly, M.

AU - Amaral Coutinho, Y.

AU - Ambler, A.

AU - Amelung, C.

AU - Amerl, M.

AU - Ames, C. G.

AU - Amidei, D.

AU - Amor Dos Santos, S. P.

AU - Amos, K. R.

AU - Ananiev, V.

AU - Anastopoulos, C.

AU - Andeen, T.

AU - Anders, J. K.

AU - Andrean, S. Y.

AU - Andreazza, A.

AU - Angelidakis, S.

AU - Angerami, A.

AU - Anisenkov, A. V.

AU - Annovi, A.

AU - Antel, C.

AU - Anthony, M. T.

AU - Antipov, E.

AU - Antonelli, M.

AU - Anulli, F.

AU - Aoki, M.

AU - Aoki, T.

AU - Aparisi Pozo, J. A.

AU - Aparo, M. A.

AU - Aperio Bella, L.

AU - Appelt, C.

AU - Apyan, A.

AU - Aranzabal, N.

AU - Arbiol Val, S. J.

AU - Arcangeletti, C.

AU - Arce, A. T.H.

AU - Arena, E.

AU - Arguin, J. F.

AU - Argyropoulos, S.

AU - Arling, J. H.

AU - Arnaez, O.

AU - Arnold, H.

AU - Artoni, G.

AU - Asada, H.

AU - Asai, K.

AU - Asai, S.

AU - Asbah, N. A.

AU - Assamagan, K.

AU - Astalos, R.

AU - Atashi, S.

AU - Atkin, R. J.

AU - Atkinson, M.

AU - Atmani, H.

AU - Atmasiddha, P. A.

AU - Augsten, K.

AU - Auricchio, S.

AU - Auriol, A. D.

AU - Austrup, V. A.

AU - Avolio, G.

AU - Axiotis, K.

AU - Azuelos, G.

AU - Babal, D.

AU - Bachacou, H.

AU - Bachas, K.

AU - Bachiu, A.

AU - Backman, F.

AU - Badea, A.

AU - Bagnaia, P.

AU - Bahmani, M.

AU - Bailey, A. J.

AU - Bailey, V. R.

AU - Baines, J. T.

AU - Baines, L.

AU - Baker, O. K.

AU - Bakos, E.

AU - Bakshi Gupta, D.

AU - Balakrishnan, V.

AU - Balasubramanian, R.

AU - Baldin, E. M.

AU - Balek, P.

AU - Ballabene, E.

AU - Balli, F.

AU - Baltes, L. M.

AU - Balunas, W. K.

AU - Balz, J.

AU - Banas, E.

AU - Bandieramonte, M.

AU - Bandyopadhyay, A.

AU - Bansal, S.

AU - Barak, L.

AU - Barakat, M.

AU - Barberio, E. L.

AU - Barberis, D.

AU - Barbero, M.

AU - Barel, M. Z.

AU - Barends, K. N.

AU - Barillari, T.

AU - Barisits, M. S.

AU - Barklow, T.

AU - Baron, P.

AU - Baron Moreno, D. A.

AU - Baroncelli, A.

AU - Barone, G.

AU - Barr, A. J.

AU - Barr, J. D.

AU - Barranco Navarro, L.

AU - Barreiro, F.

AU - Barreiro Guimarães Da Costa, J.

AU - Barron, U.

AU - Barros Teixeira, M. G.

AU - Barsov, S.

AU - Bartels, F.

AU - Bartoldus, R.

AU - Barton, A. E.

AU - Bartos, P.

AU - Basan, A.

AU - Baselga, M.

AU - Bassalat, A.

AU - Basso, M. J.

AU - Basson, C. R.

AU - Bates, R. L.

AU - Batlamous, S.

AU - Batley, J. R.

AU - Batool, B.

AU - Battaglia, M.

AU - Battulga, D.

AU - Bauce, M.

AU - Bauer, M.

AU - Bauer, P.

AU - Bazzano Hurrell, L. T.

AU - Beacham, J. B.

AU - Beau, T.

AU - Beaucamp, J. Y.

AU - Beauchemin, P. H.

AU - Becherer, F.

AU - Bechtle, P.

AU - Beck, H. P.

AU - Becker, K.

AU - Beddall, A. J.

AU - Bednyakov, V. A.

AU - Bee, C. P.

AU - Beemster, L. J.

AU - Beermann, T. A.

AU - Begalli, M.

AU - Begel, M.

AU - Behera, A.

AU - Behr, J. K.

AU - Beirer, J. F.

AU - Beisiegel, F.

AU - Belfkir, M.

AU - Bella, G.

AU - Bellagamba, L.

AU - Bellerive, A.

AU - Bellos, P.

AU - Beloborodov, K.

AU - Benchekroun, D.

AU - Bendebba, F.

AU - Benhammou, Y.

AU - Benoit, M.

AU - Bensinger, J. R.

AU - Bentvelsen, S.

AU - Beresford, L.

AU - Beretta, M.

AU - Bergeaas Kuutmann, E.

AU - Berger, N.

AU - Bergmann, B.

AU - Beringer, J.

AU - Bernardi, G.

AU - Bernius, C.

AU - Bernlochner, F. U.

AU - Bernon, F.

AU - Berry, T.

AU - Berta, P.

AU - Berthold, A.

AU - Bertram, I. A.

AU - Bethke, S.

AU - Betti, A.

AU - Bevan, A. J.

AU - Bhalla, N. K.

AU - Bhamjee, M.

AU - Shojaii, J.

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2024/3

Y1 - 2024/3

N2 - A search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a Z boson and a light, pseudoscalar particle, a, decaying respectively to two leptons and to two photons is reported. The search uses the full LHC Run 2 proton-proton collision data at √s = 13 TeV, corresponding to 139 fb−1 collected by the ATLAS detector. This is one of the first searches for this specific decay mode of the Higgs boson, and it probes unexplored parameter space in models with axion-like particles (ALPs) and extended scalar sectors. The mass of the a particle is assumed to be in the range 0.1-33 GeV. The data are analysed in two categories: a merged category where the photons from the a decay are reconstructed in the ATLAS calorimeter as a single cluster, and a resolved category in which two separate photons are detected. The main background processes are from Standard Model Z boson production in association with photons or jets. The data are in agreement with the background predictions, and upper limits on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to Za times the branching ratio a→γγ are derived at the 95% confidence level and they range from 0.08% to 2% depending on the mass of the a particle. The results are also interpreted in the context of ALP models.

AB - A search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a Z boson and a light, pseudoscalar particle, a, decaying respectively to two leptons and to two photons is reported. The search uses the full LHC Run 2 proton-proton collision data at √s = 13 TeV, corresponding to 139 fb−1 collected by the ATLAS detector. This is one of the first searches for this specific decay mode of the Higgs boson, and it probes unexplored parameter space in models with axion-like particles (ALPs) and extended scalar sectors. The mass of the a particle is assumed to be in the range 0.1-33 GeV. The data are analysed in two categories: a merged category where the photons from the a decay are reconstructed in the ATLAS calorimeter as a single cluster, and a resolved category in which two separate photons are detected. The main background processes are from Standard Model Z boson production in association with photons or jets. The data are in agreement with the background predictions, and upper limits on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to Za times the branching ratio a→γγ are derived at the 95% confidence level and they range from 0.08% to 2% depending on the mass of the a particle. The results are also interpreted in the context of ALP models.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85186584048&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.physletb.2024.138536

DO - 10.1016/j.physletb.2024.138536

M3 - Letter

AN - SCOPUS:85186584048

SN - 0370-2693

VL - 850

SP - 1

EP - 24

JO - Physics Letters B

JF - Physics Letters B

M1 - 138536

ER -

Search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a Z boson and a light pseudoscalar particle decaying to two photons

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