Search for light long-lived neutral particles from Higgs boson decays via vector-boson-fusion production from $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; Abeling, Kira ; et al.
CERN-EP-2023-226, 2023.
Inspire Record 2728869 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.145164

A search is reported for long-lived dark photons with masses between 0.1 GeV and 15 GeV, from exotic decays of Higgs bosons produced via vector-boson-fusion. Events that contain displaced collimated Standard Model fermions reconstructed in the calorimeter or muon spectrometer are probed. This search uses the full LHC Run 2 (2015-2018) data sample collected in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 $fb^{-1}$. Dominant backgrounds from Standard Model processes and non-collision sources are estimated by using data-driven techniques. The observed event yields in the signal regions are consistent with the expected background. Upper limits on the Higgs boson to dark photon branching fraction are reported as a function of the dark-photon mean proper decay length or of the dark-photon mass and the coupling between the Standard Model and the potential dark sector. This search is combined with previous ATLAS searches obtained in the gluon-gluon fusion and \textit{WH} production modes. A branching fraction above 10% is excluded at 95% CL for a 125 GeV Higgs boson decaying into two dark photons for dark-photon mean proper decay lengths between 173 and 1296 mm and mass of 10 GeV.

20 data tables

Observed 95% CL upper limits on B(H&rarr;&nbsp;2&gamma;<sub>d</sub>+X) for different &gamma;<sub>d</sub> masses and a 125&nbsp;GeV Higgs boson, as a function of the dark-photon mean proper decay length c&tau;. The limits are shown for the SR<sub>&mu;</sub> search channel, assuming an FRVZ signal model. The hatched band denotes the region in which the branching ratio is larger than unity.

Observed 95% CL upper limits on B(H&rarr;&nbsp;2&gamma;<sub>d</sub>+X) for different &gamma;<sub>d</sub> masses and a 125&nbsp;GeV Higgs boson, as a function of the dark-photon mean proper decay length c&tau;. The limits are shown for the SR<sub>c</sub><sup>L</sup> search channel, assuming an FRVZ signal model. The hatched band denotes the region in which the branching ratio is larger than unity.

Observed 95% CL upper limits on B(H&rarr;&nbsp;2&gamma;<sub>d</sub>+X) for different &gamma;<sub>d</sub> masses and a 125&nbsp;GeV Higgs boson, as a function of the dark-photon mean proper decay length c&tau;. The limits are shown for the SR<sub>c</sub><sup>H</sup> search channel, assuming an FRVZ signal model. The hatched band denotes the region in which the branching ratio is larger than unity.

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