Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Higgs”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Search for Higgs boson pair production in the $\mathrm{b}\overline{\mathrm{b}}\mathrm{WW}$ decay channel with two leptons in the final state using proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13.6$ TeV

A search for Higgs boson pair production is presented, targeting final states where one Higgs boson decays to a bottom quark-antiquark pair and the other Higgs boson decays to two W bosons, both of which decay leptonically, to an electron or a muon, and a neutrino. For the first time, the search is conducted with proton-proton collision data from the LHC at $\sqrt{s}=13.6$ TeV, recorded with the CMS detector in 2022 and 2023 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 62 fb −1 . The results are consistent with the standard model predictions. An upper limit of 12.0 times the standard model prediction at 95% confidence level is set on the Higgs boson pair production cross section, with an expected limit of 18.5. The results are also used to constrain the strength of the trilinear self-coupling of the Higgs boson, as well as of the quartic coupling between two Higgs bosons and two vector bosons.

Hadron-Hadron Scattering↗
DOE OSTI2026

Combination of searches for nonresonant Higgs boson pair production in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

This paper presents a combination of searches for the nonresonant production of Higgs boson pairs (HH) in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The dataset was collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC from 2016 to 2018 and corresponds to a total integrated luminosity of 138 fb –1 . The observed (expected) upper limit on the inclusive HH production cross-section relative to the standard model (SM) prediction is found to be 3.5 (2.5). Assuming all other Higgs boson couplings are equal to their SM values, the Higgs boson trilinear self-coupling modifier κ λ = λ 3 /λ$^{SM}_{3}$ is constrained in the range –1.35 ≤ κ λ ≤ 6.37 at 95% confidence level (CL). Similarly, for the coupling modifier κ 2V , which governs the interactions between two vector bosons and two Higgs bosons, we have excluded κ 2V = 0 at more than five standard deviations for all values of κ λ . At 95% CL, assuming that the other couplings are equal to their SM values, κ 2V is constrained in the range 0.64 ≤ κ 2V ≤ 1.40. This work also investigates HH production in several new physics scenarios, using the Higgs effective field theory (HEFT) framework. The HEFT framework is further exploited to study various ultraviolet complete models with an extended Higgs sector and set constraints on specific parameters. An extrapolation of the results in the expected integrated luminosity following the high-luminosity upgrade of the LHC is also reported.

BSM↗
DOE OSTI2026

Combined measurements and interpretations of Higgs boson production and decay in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

Combined measurements of Higgs boson production and decay rates are reported, representing the most comprehensive study performed by the CMS Collaboration to date. The included analyses use proton–proton collision data recorded by the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV from 2016 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb –1 . The statistical combination is based on analyses that measure the following decay channels: H → γγ, H → ZZ, H → WW, H → ππ, H → bb, H → μμ, and H → Zγ. Information in the events from each decay channel is used to target multiple Higgs boson production processes. Searches for invisible Higgs boson decays are also considered, as well as an analysis that measures off-shell Higgs boson production in the H → ZZ → 4$\ell$ ($\ell$ = e, μ) decay channel. The best fit inclusive signal yield is measured to be 1.014$^{+0.055}_{–0.053}$ times the standard model (SM) expectation, for a Higgs boson mass of 125.38 GeV. Measurements in kinematic regions defined by the simplified template cross section framework are also provided, as well as interpretations in the coupling modifier and SM effective field theory frameworks. The coupling modifier interpretation is further used to place constraints on various two-Higgs-doublet models. The results show good compatibility with the SM predictions for the majority of the measured parameters.

CMS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Search for the nonresonant production of Higgs boson pairs via gluon fusion and vector-boson fusion in the $b\bar{b}$τ + τ – final state in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for the nonresonant production of Higgs boson pairs in the HH → $b\overline{b}$$\tau^{+}\tau^{-}$ channel is performed using 140 fb -1 of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The analysis strategy is optimized to probe anomalous values of the Higgs boson self-coupling modifier $\kappa_{\tau}$ and of the quartic HHVV (v = W,Z) coupling modifier $\kappa$ 2⁢V . No significant excess above the expected background from Standard Model processes is observed. An observed (expected) upper limit μ HH < 5.9⁢(3.3) is set at 95% confidence-level on the Higgs boson pair production cross section normalized to its Standard Model prediction. The coupling modifiers are constrained to an observed (expected) 95% confidence interval of -3.1 <$\kappa_{\tau}$ < 9.0 (-2.5 < $\kappa_{\tau}$ < 9.3) and -0.5 <$\kappa$ 2⁢V < 2.7 (-0.2 <$\kappa$ 2⁢V < 2.4), assuming all other Higgs boson couplings are fixed to the Standard Model prediction. The results are also interpreted in the context of effective field theories via constraints on anomalous Higgs boson couplings and Higgs boson pair production cross sections assuming different kinematic benchmark scenarios.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Real-Time Artificial Intelligence for Particle Reconstruction and Higgs Physics

With the discovery of the Higgs boson at the CERN LHC, the world's highest-energy particle accelerator complex, scientists have acquired an important tool to study the fundamental building blocks of the universe. Precision measurements of Higgs bosons produced with large momentum allow for unique insights into the structure of the interactions of the Higgs boson with other particles that may shed light on physics beyond the standard model. While experimentally challenging, exploring such interactions with novel artificial intelligence (AI) methods can advance our understanding of the Higgs sector, including the Higgs boson's self-interaction. Moreover, the LHC is undergoing a major upgrade to further increase its particle collision rate and thereby operate for an additional decade. The experimental detectors at the upgraded facility must process at least a factor of ten more data at rates of hundreds of terabytes per second all under challenging conditions. New AI techniques are required to reconstruct and select, or trigger on, the most physics-sensitive events in real-time to handle the resulting avalanche of data. The proposed research will achieve the goals of the LHC program at the CMS experiment by developing a sub-microsecond event reconstruction system using real-time AI algorithms that employ field-programmable gate array technologies. By harnessing sophisticated AI techniques, this research focuses on measuring the production of Higgs bosons at large momentum while enhancing particle reconstruction methods in the trigger and beyond. Overall, the proposed research has broader implications for the use of AI in resource-constrained, low-latency embedded applications across all fields of science.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Reconstruction of boosted and resolved multi-Higgs-boson events with symmetry-preserving attention networks

The production of multiple Higgs bosons at the CERN LHC provides a direct way to measure the trilinear and quartic Higgs self-interaction strengths as well as potential access to beyond the standard model effects that can enhance production at large transverse momentum p T . The largest event fraction arises from the fully hadronic final state in which every Higgs boson decays to a bottom quark-antiquark pair ($b\bar{b}$). This introduces a combinatorial challenge known as the jet assignment problem: assigning jets to sets representing Higgs boson candidates. Symmetry-preserving attention networks (SPA-Nets) have been developed to address this challenge. However, the complexity of jet assignment increases when simultaneously considering both H → $b\bar{b}$ reconstruction possibilities, i.e., two “resolved” small-radius jets each containing a shower initiated by a b quark or one “boosted” large-radius jet containing a merged shower initiated by a $b\bar{b}$ pair. The latter improves the reconstruction efficiency at high p T . In this work, we introduce a generalization to the SPA-Net approach to simultaneously consider both boosted and resolved reconstruction possibilities and unambiguously interpret an event as “fully resolved”, “fully boosted”, or in between. We report the performance of baseline methods, the original SPA-Net approach, and our generalized version on nonresonant HH and HHH production at the LHC. Considering both boosted and resolved topologies, our SPA-Net approach increases the Higgs boson reconstruction purity by 56–80% and the efficiency by 37–38% compared to the baseline method depending on the final state.

Higgs Production↗
DOE OSTI2026

Combination and interpretation of differential Higgs boson production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at $ \sqrt{s}=13 $ TeV

Precision measurements of Higgs boson differential production cross sections are a key tool to probe the properties of the Higgs boson and test the standard model. New physics can affect both Higgs boson production and decay, leading to deviations from the distributions that are expected in the standard model. In this paper, combined measurements of differential spectra in a fiducial region matching the experimental selections are performed, based on analyses of four Higgs boson decay channels (γγ, ZZ$^{(*)}$, WW$^{(*)}$, and ττ) using proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at $ \sqrt{s}=13 $ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{−1}$. The differential measurements are extrapolated to the full phase space and combined to provide the differential spectra. A measurement of the total Higgs boson production cross section is also performed using the γγ and ZZ decay channels, with a result of $ {53.4}_{-2.9}^{+2.9}{\left(\textrm{stat}\right)}_{-1.8}^{+1.9}\left(\textrm{syst}\right) $ pb, consistent with the standard model prediction of 55.6 ± 2.5 pb. The fiducial measurements are used to compute limits on Higgs boson couplings using the κ-framework and the SM effective field theory.[graphic not available: see fulltext]

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Search for pair production of boosted Higgs bosons via vector-boson fusion in the $b$$\overline{b}$$b$$\overline{b}$ final state using $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for Higgs boson pair production via vector-boson fusion is performed in the Lorentz-boosted regime, where a Higgs boson candidate is reconstructed as a single large-radius jet, using 140 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Only Higgs boson decays into bottom quark pairs are considered. The search is particularly sensitive to the quartic coupling between two vector bosons and two Higgs bosons relative to its Standard Model prediction, K 2V . This study constrains K 2V to 0.55 < K 2V < 1.49 at the 95% confidence level. The value K 2V = 0 is excluded with a significance of 3.8 standard deviations with other Higgs boson couplings fixed to their Standard Model values. A search for new heavy spin-0 resonances that would mediate Higgs boson pair production via vector-boson fusion is carried out in the mass range of 1–5 TeV for the first time under several model and decay-width assumptions. No significant deviation from the Standard Model hypothesis is observed and exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level are derived.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

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↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measurement of the Higgs boson production in association with top quarks in multilepton final states in pp collisions at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A measurement of the associated production of a top-quark pair with the Higgs boson (tt¯H$$ t\overline{t}H $$) in multilepton final states is presented. The analysis is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at s=13$$ \sqrt{s}=13 $$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1. Six final states defined by the number and flavour of reconstructed charged leptons are combined in a simultaneous likelihood fit to extract the tt¯H$$ t\overline{t}H $$ signal and constrain the most relevant backgrounds. The measured tt¯H$$ t\overline{t}H $$ cross-section normalised to Standard Model (SM) prediction is σtt¯H/σSM=0.63−0.19+0.20$$ {\sigma}_{t\overline{t}H}/{\sigma}^{\mathrm{SM}}=0.{63}_{-0.19}^{+0.20} $$. This result corresponds to an observed (expected) significance of 3.3σ (5.3σ). Additionally, two other fits are used to measure the tt¯H$$ t\overline{t}H $$ cross-section differentially in bins of the Higgs boson transverse momentum in the simplified template cross-section framework, and to extract the associated production cross-section of a single top-quark with the Higgs boson (tH) together with the tt¯H$$ t\overline{t}H $$ one. The CP structure of the top quark-Higgs boson Yukawa coupling is probed through an analysis of tt¯H$$ t\overline{t}H $$ and tH events. The results are compatible with the SM hypothesis, and values of the mixing angle between CP-even and CP-odd top-Higgs Yukawa couplings of |α| > 62° are excluded at 68% confidence level.

Aad, G↗
DOE OSTI2025

A flavor of SO(10) unification with a spinor Higgs

We investigate Higgs Parity unification — a realization of SO(10) grand unification based on the Higgs Parity mechanism in which the Standard Model (SM) Higgs resides in a spinor representation. The theory has an intermediate left-right symmetric stage where the SU(2)R symmetry breaking scale is fixed by the vanishing of the SM Higgs quartic coupling. The strong CP problem is solved by parity. Gauge coupling unification successfully predicts αs(MZ) to within 1%. The spinor Higgs naturally leads to a seesaw origin for SM flavor observables. We identify a novel mechanism where large mixing of third generation fermions with additional heavy vector-like fermions accounts for the anarchical nature of the PMNS matrix and the lack of hierarchy in the neutrino mass spectrum, relative to the up-quarks. A fit to quark and lepton masses and mixings, with a minimal parameter set, predicts 1) A testable relation between the top quark mass and αs(MZ) which is about (1 – 2)σ from current best fit values, 2) The order of magnitude of the baryon asymmetry of the universe, via leptogenesis from second-generation right-handed neutrino decays. 3) The proton decay and the neutron EDM are likely observable in next generation experiments, and 4) A normal ordered neutrino mass spectrum where 0νββ decay and the mass of the lightest neutrino are out of reach of next generation experiments.

Baryo-and Leptogenesis↗
DOE OSTI2024

Search for pair-produced higgsinos decaying via Higgs or Z bosons to final states containing a pair of photons and a pair of b -jets with the ATLAS detector

A search is presented for the pair production of higgsinos $\tilde{X}$ in gauge-mediated supersymmetry models, where the lightest neutralinos $\tilde{X}^{0}_{1}$ decay into a light gravitino $\tilde{G}$ in association with either a Higgs h or a Z boson. The search is performed with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider using 139 fb -1 of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13TeV. It targets final states in which a Higgs boson decays into a photon pair, while the other Higgs or Z boson decays into a $b\overline{b}$ pair, with missing transverse momentum associated with the two gravitinos. Search regions dependent on the amount of missing transverse momentum are defined by the requirements that the diphoton mass should be consistent with the mass of the Higgs boson, and the $b\overline{b}$ mass with the mass of the Higgs or Z boson. The main backgrounds are estimated with data-driven methods using the sidebands of the diphoton mass distribution. No excesses beyond Standard Model expectations are observed and higgsinos with masses up to 320 GeV are excluded, assuming a branching fraction of 100% for $\tilde{X}^{0}_{1}$ → h$\tilde{G}$. This analysis excludes higgsinos with masses of 130GeV for branching fractions to h$\tilde{G}$ as low as 36%, thus providing complementarity to previous ATLAS searches in final states with multiple leptons or multiple b-jets, targeting different decays of the electroweak bosons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Higgs-portal dark matter in Brane-world cosmology

Abstract The Higgs-portal scalar dark matter (DM) model is a simple extension of the Standard Model (SM) to incorporate a DM particle to the SM, where a $$Z_2$$ Z 2 -odd real scalar field is introduced as a DM candidate. We consider this DM model in the context of 5-dimensional brane-world cosmology, where our 3-dimensional space is realized as a hyper-surface embedded in 4-dimensional space. In the setup, all the SM and DM fields reside on the hyper-surface while graviton lives in the bulk. We consider two well-known brane-world cosmologies, namely, the Randall–Sundrum (RS) and the Gauss–Bonnet (GB) brane-world cosmologies, in which the standard Big Bang cosmology is reproduced at low temperatures below the so-called “transition temperature” while at high temperatures the expansion law of the universe is significantly modified. Such a non-standard expansion law directly impacts the prediction for the relic density of the Higgs-portal DM. We investigate the brane-world cosmological effects and identify the allowed model parameter region by combining the constraints from the observed DM relic density, and the direct and indirect DM detection experiments. It is well-known that only DM masses in the vicinity of half the Higgs boson mass are allowed in the Higgs-portal scalar DM model. We find that the allowed parameter region becomes more severely constrained and even disappears in the RS cosmology, while the GB cosmological effect significantly enlarges the allowed region. Upon discovering Higgs-portal DM, we can determine transition temperature in the GB brane-world cosmology.

Liu, Taoli↗
DOE OSTI2025

Charged Higgs search in 2HDM

In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of the collider search limits on the charged Higgses in the four types of Two Higgs Double Models (2HDM). In addition to constraints from flavor physics measurements, we include both the LEP charged Higgs search channels, as well as the LHC search results on the light and heavy charged Higgses. We consider both the conventional charged Higgs search channels of H ± → τν, cs, cb, tb, and the latest search results on the exotic decay channels H ± → AW ± /HW ± . We find that H ± → AW ± /HW ± are complementary to the conventional fermionic channels for m H ± < m t . For heavy H ± , H ± → AW ± /HW ± extend the reach of tan β beyond that of H ± → tb in the Type-L 2HDM. We also present the combined reach of all the neutral and charged Higgs searches.

2HDM↗
DOE OSTI2024

Combination of Searches for Higgs Boson Pair Production in pp Collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter presents results from a combination of searches for Higgs boson pair production using 126–140 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at √𝑠 =13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector. At 95% confidence level (CL), the upper limit on the production rate is 2.9 times the standard model (SM) prediction, with an expected limit of 2.4 assuming no Higgs boson pair production. Constraints on the Higgs boson self-coupling modifier 𝜅 𝜆 = 𝜆 𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝐻 /𝜆$^{SM}_{𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝐻}$, and the quartic 𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝑉⁢𝑉 coupling modifier 𝜅 2⁢𝑉 = 𝑔 𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝑉⁢𝑉⁡ /𝑔$^{SM}_{𝐻⁡𝐻⁡𝑉⁢𝑉}$, are derived individually, fixing the other parameter to its SM value. The observed 95% CL intervals are −1.2<𝜅 𝜆 < 7.2 and 0.6<𝜅 2⁢𝑉 < 1.5, respectively, while the expected intervals are −1.6<𝜅 𝜆 < 7.2 and 0.4<𝜅 2⁢𝑉 < 1.6 in the SM case. Constraints obtained for several interaction parameters within Higgs effective field theory are the strongest to date, offering insights into potential deviations from SM predictions.

Hadron colliders↗
DOE OSTI2026

Precision measurements of Higgs hadronic decay modes at the FCC-ee

The expected precision at the FCC-ee on the product $σ$ x $\mathcal{B} \large{(}H → b\bar{b}, c\bar{c}, s\bar{s}, gg\large{)}$ of Higgs boson production cross sections times branching ratios of hadronic decays is presented. This study provides the first comprehensive determination of all major hadronic Higgs decay modes in a combined fit at future $e^+e^−$ colliders, using both Higgs-strahlung $(ZH)$ and Vector boson fusion $(v\bar{v}H)$ production processes, with a full treatment of interference effects in the $v\bar{v}jj$ final state. It assumes four identical IDEA detectors collecting $e^+e^−$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 240 and 365 GeV. The combination of all channels across both energies, with full covariance between production and decay modes, yields a production cross-section times branching-ratio precision at the percent to per-mil level for the dominant hadronic final states $(b\bar{b}, c\bar{c}, gg)$. These results provide a comprehensive input to the determination of Higgs coupling projections at the FCC-ee, and they establish for the first time sensitivity to the rare decay $H → s\bar{s}$, demonstrating that FCC-ee has the potential to provide evidence of the strange-quark Yukawa coupling.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Higgs decays at NLO in the SMEFT

The calculation of precise predictions for Higgs decays is a necessary ingredient for determining Higgs properties at the LHC and future colliders. We compute all two- and three- body Higgs decays at next-to-leading order (NLO) in both QCD and electroweak interactions using the dimension-6 Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). Results for four-body Higgs decays that are accurate to NLO QCD/electroweak order in the SMEFT are obtained using the narrow width approximation. Our results are contained in a flexible Monte Carlo program, NEWiSH, that is publicly available and we illustrate the impact of the NLO electroweak corrections for HL-LHC, Tera-Z, and Higgstrahlung projections.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

QCD+QED PDF implications for the Higgs sector

In this work, we examine the implications of electroweak corrections beyond leading order for processes of special interest in the Higgs sector. We especially explore the role of these corrections given the introduction of an explicit parton distribution function (PDF) for the photon in the proton, an object which emerges necessarily in global PDF fits which include QED effects (i.e., ‘QCD+QED PDFs’). We concentrate on several representative cases, including total Higgs-production cross sections through gluon fusion, gg → H, vector-boson fusion (VBFH), and associated production, pp → V H; we also examine differential distributions, taking a representative Higgs-strahlung process, pp → W + H. We find that the recently developed LUX formalism for the photon PDF significantly stabilizes the PDF dependence of both QED-PDF and electroweak corrections in the Higgs sector, while leaving overall ~ 3–4% cross-section-level variations, depending on the chosen QCD+QED PDF. We illustrate this QCD+QED PDF dependence by exploring predictions based upon recent analyses of the CTEQ-TEA, MSHT, and NNPDF analysis groups, fitted either at NNLO or approximate N3LO in QCD.

Higgs production↗