Search

The $U(1)$ global symmetry to solve the strong $CP$ problem could be the remnant of multi-$U(1)$ symmetries from QCD and hidden strong dynamics. Both Peccei-Quinn $U(1)$ and dynamical $U(1)$ are described uniformly, based on which we classify various mixed two-$U(1)$ models to solve both strong $CP$ and quality problems. We propose a moose diagram method with different fermion assignments to directly read relations between $CP$ phases, which illustrate how strong $CP$ problem is solved in terms of cancellation between $CP$ phases. In two axion models, we find the lightest axion is still same as QCD axion at infrared region, while one axion model with $Z_2$ symmetry enhances the axion mass spectrum. Our discussions can be extended to multi-axion cases., Comment: 25 pages, 3 figures

We perform a thermal unflavored leptogenesis analysis on minimal left-right symmetric models with discrete left-right symmetry identified as generalized parity or charge conjugation. When left-right symmetry is unbroken in the lepton Yukawa sector, the neutrino Dirac coupling matrix is completely determined by neutrino masses and mixing angles, allowing CP violation needed to generate leptogenesis totally resides in the low-energy sector. With two lepton asymmetry generation ways, both type I and mixed type I$+$II neutrino mass generation mechanisms are considered. After solving the Boltzmann equations numerically, we find that the low-energy CP phases in the lepton mixing matrix can successfully produce the observed baryon asymmetry, and in some cases, the Dirac CP phase can be the only source of CP violation. Finally, we discuss the interplay among low-energy CP phase measurements, leptogenesis, and neutrinoless double beta decay. We show that the viable models for successful leptogenesis can be probed in next-generation neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments., Comment: 35 pages, 19 figures; reduce figure resolution for accessibility

The Higgs sector in neutral naturalness models provides a portal to the hidden sectors, and thus measurements of Higgs couplings at current and future colliders play a central role in constraining the parameter space of the model. We investigate a class of neutral naturalness models, in which the Higgs boson is a pseudo-Goldstone boson from the universal SO(N)/SO(N-1) coset structure. Integrating out the radial mode from the spontaneous global symmetry breaking, we obtain various dimension-six operators in the Standard Model effective field theory, and calculate the low energy Higgs effective potential with radiative corrections included. We perform a chi-square fit to the Higgs coupling precision measurements at current and future colliders and show that the new physics scale could be explored up to 2.7 (2.8) TeV without (with) the Higgs invisible decay channels at future Higgs factories., Comment: 25 pages, 3 figures

We present a complete and independent list of the dimension 9 operator basis in the Standard Model effective field theory by an automatic algorithm based on the amplitude-operator correspondence. A complete basis (y-basis) is first constructed by enumerating Young tableau of an auxiliary $SU(N)$ group and the gauge groups, with the equation-of-motion and integration-by-part redundancies all removed. In the presence of repeated fields, another basis (p-basis) with explicit flavor symmetries among them is derived from the y-basis, which further induces a basis of independent monomial operators through a systematic process called de-symmetrization. Our form of operators have advantages over the traditional way of presenting operators constrained by flavor relations, in the simplicity of both eliminating flavor redundancies and identifying independent flavor-specified operators. We list the 90456 (560) operators for three (one) generations of fermions, all of which violate baryon number or lepton number conservation; among them we find new violation patterns as $\Delta B = 2$ and $\Delta L = 3$, which only appear at the dimensions $d \ge 9$., Comment: 58 pages, 1 figure, 10 tables

We investigate a cogenesis mechanism within the twin Higgs setup which can naturally explain the nature of dark matter, the cosmic coincidence puzzle, little hierarchy problem, leptogenesis and the tiny neutrino masses. Three heavy Majorana neutrinos are introduced to the standard model sector and the twin sector respectively, which explain the tiny neutrino masses and generate the lepton asymmetry and the twin lepton asymmetry at the same time. The twin cogenesis mechanism applies to any viable twin Higgs model without an explicit $\mathbb{Z}_2$ breaking in the leptonic sector and evading the $\Delta N_{\rm eff}$ constraint. We illustrate the twin cogenesis mechanism using the neutrino-philic twin two Higgs doublet model, a newly proposed model to lift the twin neutrino masses with spontaneous $\mathbb{Z}_2$ breaking. The dark photon with a Stueckelberg mass $\mathcal{O}(10)$ MeV ensures the energy in the twin sector as well as the symmetric component of twin sector particles can be depleted. The lightest twin baryons are the dark matter candidates with masses approximately 5.5 GeV, which explain naturally the amount of dark matter and visible matter in the Universe are of the same order. We also demonstrate twin cogenesis in the fraternal twin Higgs setup, in which the dark matter candidate is the twin bottom bound state $\Omega^\prime_{b^\prime b^\prime b^\prime}$., Comment: 31 pages, 1 figure

We investigate a simplified freeze-in dark-matter model in which the dark matter only interacts with the standard-model neutrinos via a light scalar. The extremely small coupling for the freeze-in mechanism is naturally realized in several neutrino-portal scenarios with the secret neutrino interactions. We study possible evolution history of the dark sector: the dark sector would undergo pure freeze-in production if the interactions between the dark-sector particles are negligible, while thermal equilibrium within the dark sector could occur if the reannihilation of the dark matter and the scalar mediator is rapid enough. We investigate the relic abundance in the freeze-in and dark freeze-out regimes, calculate evolution of the dark temperature, and study its phenomenological aspects on BBN and CMB constraints, the indirect-detection signature, as well as the potential to solve the small scale structure problem., Comment: 30 pages, 7 figures, revised version with references updated

We present a complete list of the dimension 8 operator basis in the standard model effective field theory using group theoretic techniques in a systematic and automated way. We adopt a new form of operators in terms of the irreducible representations of the Lorentz group, and identify the Lorentz structures as states in a $SU(N)$ group. In this way, redundancy from equations of motion is absent and that from integration-by-part is treated using the fact that the independent Lorentz basis forms an invariant subspace of the $SU(N)$ group. We also decompose operators into the ones with definite permutation symmetries among flavor indices to deal with subtlety from repeated fields. For the first time, we provide the explicit form of independent flavor-specified operators in a systematic way. Our algorithm can be easily applied to higher dimensional standard model effective field theory and other effective field theories, making these studies more approachable., Comment: 72 pages, 1 figure, 4 tables, minor revision on monomial operators with desymmetrization procedure

We study both the CP-even and CP-odd effective chiral Lagrangians of next minimal composite Higgs model {with symmetry breaking pattern depicted by the coset $SO(6)/SO(5)$} through the sigma/omega decomposition, in which the Goldstone matrix of the coset is decomposed in terms of the standard model Higgs doublet and an additional scalar singlet $s$ at the electroweak scale. The effective Lagrangian is described by the electroweak chiral Lagrangian up to $p^4$ order, with a function dependence on the Higgs boson and new scalar $s$, named Higgs function. This function in the effective Lagrangian incorporates the Higgs non-linearity or vacuum misalignment effects in the next minimal composite Higgs model, due to the Riemann curvature on the Nambu-Goldstone bosons scalar manifold, leads to various Higgs couplings deviated from the standard model ones, and also indicates the relations among different Higgs couplings in the low energy. Matching to the Higgs effective field theory below the electroweak scale, we obtain various low energy observables such as the electroweak oblique parameters, anomalous triple and quartic gauge couplings, anomalous couplings of Higgs to gauge bosons, in which the Higgs non-linearity effects are encoded in the ratio $\xi\equiv v^2/f^2$ of the electroweak scale and the new physics scale., Comment: 40 pages, 1 table

Although the Higgs boson has been discovered, its self-couplings are poorly constrained. This leaves the nature of the Higgs boson undetermined. Motivated by different Higgs potential scenarios other than the Landau-Ginzburg type in the standard model, we systematically organize various new physics scenarios -- elementary Higgs, Nambu-Goldstone Higgs, Coleman-Weinberg Higgs, and Tadpole-induced Higgs, etc. We find that double-Higgs production at the 27 TeV high energy LHC can be used to discriminate different Higgs potential scenarios, while it is necessary to use triple-Higgs production at a future 100 TeV proton-proton collider to fully determine the shape of the Higgs potential., Comment: 49 pages, 24 figures, 5 tables; revised triple Higgs production section and improved its discovery potential at future collider; match the published version

We previously presented the minimal neutral naturalness model, in which neutral naturalness is realized with the minimal coset and the minimal field content in the color-neutral sector. To fully eliminating the cutoff dependence in the Higgs potential, its ultraviolet completion was laid out. In this work, we investigate in details the holographic realization in warped five-dimensional framework. Using the holographic method, we obtain the effective action on the UV brane and derive the finite Higgs potential, with the Higgs being a pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson. The Higgs potential is fully radiatively generated and vacuum misalignment is naturally realized through only the fermionic contribution. To illustrate general features of the lowest Kaluza-Klein states, we construct the corresponding deconstructed two-site composite model., Comment: 31 pages, 5 figures

Composite Higgs and neutral-naturalness models are popular scenarios in which the Higgs boson is a pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson, and naturalness problem is addressed by composite top partners. Since the standard model effective field theory (SMEFT) with dimension-six operators cannot fully retain the information of Higgs nonlinearity due to its PNGB nature, we systematically construct low energy Lagrangian in which the information of compositeness and Higgs nonlinearity are encoded in the form factors, the two-point functions in the top sector. We classify naturalness conditions in various scenarios, and first present these form factors in composite neutral naturalness models. After extracting out Higgs effective couplings from these form factors and performing the global fit, we find the value of Higgs top coupling could still be larger than the standard model one if the top quark is embedded in the higher dimensional representations. Also we find the impact of Higgs nonlinearity is enhanced by the large mass splitting between composite states. In this case, pattern of the correlation between the $t\bar{t}h$ and $t\bar{t}hh$ couplings is quite different for the linear and nonlinear Higgs descriptions., Comment: 46 pages, 12 figures, 10 tables

Particles beyond the Standard Model (SM) can generically have lifetimes that are long compared to SM particles at the weak scale. When produced at experiments such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, these long-lived particles (LLPs) can decay far from the interaction vertex of the primary proton-proton collision. Such LLP signatures are distinct from those of promptly decaying particles that are targeted by the majority of searches for new physics at the LHC, often requiring customized techniques to identify, for example, significantly displaced decay vertices, tracks with atypical properties, and short track segments. Given their non-standard nature, a comprehensive overview of LLP signatures at the LHC is beneficial to ensure that possible avenues of the discovery of new physics are not overlooked. Here we report on the joint work of a community of theorists and experimentalists with the ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb experiments --- as well as those working on dedicated experiments such as MoEDAL, milliQan, MATHUSLA, CODEX-b, and FASER --- to survey the current state of LLP searches at the LHC, and to chart a path for the development of LLP searches into the future, both in the upcoming Run 3 and at the High-Luminosity LHC. The work is organized around the current and future potential capabilities of LHC experiments to generally discover new LLPs, and takes a signature-based approach to surveying classes of models that give rise to LLPs rather than emphasizing any particular theory motivation. We develop a set of simplified models; assess the coverage of current searches; document known, often unexpected backgrounds; explore the capabilities of proposed detector upgrades; provide recommendations for the presentation of search results; and look towards the newest frontiers, namely high-multiplicity "dark showers", highlighting opportunities for expanding the LHC reach for these signals.

We investigate the collider phenomenology of the scalar triplet particles in the Type-II seesaw model at a 100 TeV $pp$ collider. Depending on triplet vacuum expectation value $v_\Delta$, the dominant discovery channels could be $H^{++} H^{--}$ and $H^{\pm\pm}H^\mp$. We find the $H^{\pm\pm}H^\mp\to W^\pm W^\pm h W^\mp/\ell^\pm \ell^\pm h W^\mp$ channels are promising for both model discovery at relatively large $v_\Delta$ and determination of the Higgs portal couplings $\lambda_4$ and $\lambda_5$. We also find that these two channels are complementary to indirect determination of $\lambda_4$ from future precise measurements on $h\to\gamma\gamma$ decay rate. Together with pair production of the doubly-charged Higgs subsequently decaying into same-sign di-leptons, the $H^{\pm\pm}H^\mp$ channels have the potential to cover a significant portion of the parameter space of the Type-II seesaw complex scalar triplet model., Comment: 35 pages, 13 figures

An emergent global symmetry of the composite sector (called maximal symmetry) can soften the ultraviolet behavior of the Higgs potential and also significantly modify its structure. We explain the conditions for the emergence of maximal symmetry as well as its main consequences. We present two simple implementations and generalize both to N-site as well as full warped extra dimensional models. The gauge symmetry of these models enforces the emergence of maximal symmetry. The corresponding Higgs potentials have unique properties: one case minimizes the tuning while the other allows heavy top partners evading direct LHC bounds., Comment: 9 pages + appendices, 5 figures

We build a minimal neutral naturalness model in which the top partners are not charged under QCD, with a pseudo Goldstone Higgs arising from $SO(5)/SO(4)$ breaking. The color-neutral top partners generate the Higgs potential radiatively without quadratic divergence. The misalignment between the electroweak scale and global symmetry breaking scale is naturally obtained from suppression of the Higgs quadratic term, due to cancellation between singlet and doublet top partner contributions. This model can be embedded into ultraviolet holographic setup in composite Higgs framework, which even realizes finite Higgs potential., Comment: 5 + 3 pages with supplementary materials, 6 figures

New QCD-like `hypercolor' sectors can generate a broad class of new signatures at hadron colliders and furnish a variety of dark matter candidates. Paired diboson resonances are a particularly important collider signature, arising both from $CP$-conserving vector hypermeson decays of the form $\widetilde\rho \rightarrow\widetilde\pi\widetilde\pi\rightarrow 4V$ and from $CP$-violating pseudoscalar hypermeson decays of the form $\widetilde\eta\rightarrow \widetilde\pi\widetilde\pi\rightarrow 4V$. The latter are sensitive to the vacuum angle $\widetilde \theta$ in the hypercolor sector. We study single- and paired-diboson resonance signatures in final states involving gluons and photons at the LHC and a future 100 TeV $pp$ collider, illustrating the discovery potential at both colliders in simple benchmark models. We also describe some of the theoretical and cosmological consequences of $\widetilde \theta$. If $CP$-violating hypermeson decays are observable at hadron colliders, ordinary QCD must have an axion. Such scenarios also provide a natural setting for a dark pion component of dark matter, with its relic abundance set by $CP$-violating annihilations. If the new vacuum angle is relaxed to zero by a dark axion, the relic density can instead be a mixture of axions and dark axions. Overproduction of dark axions is most easily avoided if the universe underwent a period of early matter domination., Comment: 33 pages + appendices, 18 figures

We propose a hidden gauged $U(1)_H$ $Z'$ model to explain deviations from the Standard Model (SM) values in lepton flavor universality known as $R_K$ and $R_D$ anomalies. The $Z'$ only interacts with the SM fermions via their mixing with vector-like doublet fermions after the $U(1)_H$ symmetry breaking, which leads to $b \to s \mu\mu$ transition through the $Z^{\prime}$ at tree level. Moreover, introducing an additional mediator, inert-Higgs doublet, yields $b\to c \tau \nu$ process via charged scalar contribution at tree level. Using flavio package, we scrutinize adequate sizes of the relevant Wilson coefficients to these two processes by taking various flavor observables into account. It is found that significant mixing between the vector-like and the second generation leptons is needed for the $R_K$ anomaly. A possible explanation of the $R_D$ anomaly can also be simultaneously addressed in a motivated situation, where a single scalar operator plays a dominant role, by the successful model parameters for the $R_K$ anomaly., Comment: 34 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables

We consider extended scalar sectors of the Standard Model as ultraviolet-complete motivations for studying the effective Higgs self-interaction operators of the Standard Model effective field theory. We investigate all motivated heavy scalar models which generate the dimension-6 effective operator, $|H|^6$, at tree level and proceed to identify the full set of tree-level dimension-six operators by integrating out the heavy scalars. Of seven models which generate $|H|^6$ at tree level only two, quadruplets of hypercharge $Y=3Y_H$ and $Y=Y_H$, generate only this operator. Next we perform global fits to constrain relevant Wilson coefficients from the LHC single Higgs measurements as well as the electroweak oblique parameters $S$ and $T$. We find that the $T$ parameter puts very strong constraints on the Wilson coefficient of the $|H|^6$ operator in the triplet and quadruplet models, while the singlet and doublet models could still have Higgs self-couplings which deviate significantly from the standard model prediction. To determine the extent to which the $|H|^6$ operator could be constrained, we study the dihiggs signatures at the future 100 TeV collider and explore future sensitivity of this operator. Projected onto the Higgs potential parameters of the extended scalar sectors, with $3$ ab$^{-1}$ luminosity data we will be able to explore the Higgs potential parameters in all seven models., Comment: 25 pages, 11 figures, 6 tables; version 3: match the JHEP published version

Motivated by the absence of dark matter signals in direct detection experiments and the discovery of gravitational waves (GWs) at aLIGO, we discuss the possibility to explore a generic classes of scalar dark matter models using the complementary searches via phase transition gravitational waves and the future lepton collider signatures. We focus on the inert scalar multiplet dark matter models and the mixed inert scalar dark matter models, which could undergo a strong first-order phase transitions during the evolution of the early universe, and might produce detectable phase transition GW signals at future GW experiments, such as eLISA, DECIGO and BBO. We find that the future GW signature, together with circular electron-positron collider, could further explore the model's blind spot parameter region, at which the dark matter-Higgs coupling is identically zero, thus avoiding the dark matter spin-independent direct detection constraints., Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures

In twin Higgs models, a discrete Z2 symmetry between the standard model Higgs and the twin Higgs is introduced to address the hierarchy problem. In this work, we propose another discrete symmetry in twin Higgs: the T parity, which maps the twin Higgs quadruplet into its mirror copy. The T parity brings us a whole group of T-odd particles, and leads to a promising dark matter candidate. We present one realization of the T parity twin Higgs scenario by implementing the $SU(2)_L \times SU(2)_R \times U(1)_1 \times U(1)_2$ gauge symmetry in twin Higgs model. In this specific setup, the T-odd U(1) gauge boson could be the dark matter candidate, and the T-odd particles have very distinct and interesting phenomenology., Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, 1 table

In original twin Higgs model, vacuum misalignment between electroweak and new physics scales is realized by adding explicit $\mathbb{Z}_2$ breaking term. Introducing additional twin Higgs could accommodate spontaneous $\mathbb{Z}_2$ breaking, which explains the origin of this misalignment. We introduce a class of two twin Higgs doublet models with most general scalar potential, and discuss general conditions which trigger electroweak and $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry breaking. Various scenarios on realising the vacuum misalignment are systematically discussed in a natural two Higgs double model framework: explicit $\mathbb{Z}_2$ breaking, radiative $\mathbb{Z}_2$ breaking, tadpole-induced $\mathbb{Z}_2$ breaking, and quartic-induced $\mathbb{Z}_2$ breaking. We investigate the Higgs mass spectra and the Higgs phenomenology in these scenarios., Comment: 34 pages, 7 figures

In twin Higgs model, the Higgs boson mass is protected by a $Z_2$ symmetry. The $Z_2$ symmetry needs to be broken either explicitly or spontaneously to obtain misalignment between electroweak and new physics vacua. We propose a novel $Z_2$ breaking mechanism, in which the $Z_2$ is spontaneously broken by radiative corrections to the Higgs potential. Two twin Higgses with different vacua are needed, and vacuum misalignment is realized by opposite but comparable contributions from gauge and Yukawa interactions to the potential. Due to fully radiative symmetry breaking, the Higgs sector is completely determined by twin Higgs vacuum, Yukawa and gauge couplings. There are eight pseudo-Goldstone bosons: the Higgs boson, inert doublet Higgs, and three twin scalars. We show the 125 GeV Higgs mass and constraints from Higgs coupling measurements could be satisfied., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

We propose that the SU(2) x SU(2) x U(1) (aka G221) models could provide us a 750 GeV scalar resonance that may account for the diphoton excess observed at the LHC while satisfying present collider constraints. The neutral component of the $SU(2)_R$ scalar multiplet can be identified as the 750 GeV scalar. In the lepto-phobic and fermio-phobic G221 models the new charged gauge boson W' could be light, and we find that the diphoton decay width could be dominated by the loop contribution from the $W'$. To initiate gluon fusion production, it is necessary to extend the G221 symmetry to the Pati-Salam and SO(10) symmetry. We investigate the possibilities that the light colored scalars or vectorlike fermions survive in the SO(10) theory and provide large gluon fusion rate for the diphoton signature. It is possible to test the G221 interpretation by direct searches of W' using the multi-gauge boson production channel at the Run 2 LHC., Comment: 26 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables

We introduce a simple scenario involving fermionic dark matter ($\chi$) and singlet scalar mediators that may account for the Galactic Center GeV $\gamma$-ray excess while satisfying present direct detection constraints. CP-violation in the scalar potential leads to mixing between the Standard Model Higgs boson and the scalar singlet, resulting in three scalars $h_{1,2,3}$ of indefinite CP-transformation properties. This mixing enables s-wave $\chi{\bar\chi}$ annihilation into di-scalar states, followed by decays into four fermion final states. The observed $\gamma$-ray spectrum can be fitted while respecting present direct detection bounds and Higgs boson properties for $m_{\chi} = 60 \sim 80 $ GeV, and $m_{h_3} \sim m_{\chi}$. Searches for the Higgs exotic decay channel $h_1 \to h_3 h_3$ at the 14 TeV LHC should be able to further probe the parameter region favored by the $\gamma$-ray excess., Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures, 1 table

In both scotogenic neutrino and flavor dark matter models, the dark sector communicates with the standard model fermions via Yukawa portal couplings. We propose an economic scenario that scotogenic neutrino and flavored mediator share the same inert Higgs doublet and all are charged under a hidden gauged $U(1)$ symmetry. The dark Z2 symmetry in dark sector is regarded as the remnant of this hidden $U(1)$ symmetry breaking. In particular, we investigate a dark $U(1)_D$ (and also a $U(1)_{B-L}$) model which unifies scotogenic neutrino and top-flavored mediator. In this model dark tops and dark neutrinos are the standard model fermion partners, and the dark matter could be inert Higgs or the lightest dark neutrino. This model has rich collider signatures on dark tops, inert Higgs and Z' gauge boson, etc. Moreover, the scalar associated to the $U(1)_D$ (and also $U(1)_{B-L}$) symmetry breaking could explain the 750 GeV diphoton excess reported by ATLAS and CMS recently., Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables; Version 2: references updated

We investigate an inflationary model involving a gauge singlet scalar and fermionic dark matter. The mixing between the singlet scalar and the Higgs boson provides a portal to dark matter. The inflaton could either be the Higgs boson or the singlet scalar, and slow roll inflation is realized via its non-minimal coupling to gravity. In this setup, the effective scalar potential is stabilized by the mixing between two scalars and coupling with dark matter. We study constraints from collider searches, relic density and direct detection, and find that dark matter mass should be around half the mass of either the Higgs boson or singlet scalar. Using the renormalization group equation improved scalar potential and putting all the constraints together, we show that the inflationary observables $n_s-r$ are consistent with current Planck data., Comment: 23 pages, 18 figures

A resonance near 750 GeV has been observed at both the ATLAS and CMS experiments in its diphoton decay channel. We propose a possible interpretation based on a simplified model: a 750 GeV singlet scalar resonance, and a minimal stealth vector quark are introduced. At the LHC, the scalar is produced through gluon fusion, and subsequently decays to diphoton final state. The light stealth quarks could enhance the diphoton rate significantly, while still keeping other channels below the current LHC search limits. We find that the stealth quarks around 400 ~ 500 GeV with its coupling to scalar around 0.5 ~ 1.5 could explain the diphoton excess, and avoid current di-jet constraints. We also comment on other potential signatures of this stealth model., Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. revised version with references updated

We extend the standard model to a scalar-assisted vector-like fermion model to realize electroweak baryogenesis. The extended Cabbibo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, due to the mixing among the vector-like quark and the standard model quarks, provides additional sources of the CP violation. Together with the enhancement from large vector-like quark mass, a large enough baryon-to-photon ratio could be obtained. The strongly first-order phase transition could be realized via the potential barrier which separate the broken minimum and the symmetric minimum in the scalar potential. We investigate in detail the one-loop temperature-dependent effective potential, and perform a random parameter scan to study the allowed parameter region that satisfies the strongly first order phase transition criteria $v_c \ge T_c$. Several distinct patterns of phase transition are classified and discussed. Among these patterns, large trilinear mass term between the Higgs boson and the scalar is preferred, for it controls the width of the potential barrier. Our results indicate large quartic scalar couplings, and moderate mixing angle between the Higgs boson and the new scalar. This parameter region could be further explored at the Run 2 LHC., Comment: 40 pages, 18 figures, v2: revised version with references updated, and minor revision

Based on an $SU(2) \times SU(2) \times U(1)$ effective theory framework (aka $G221$ models), we investigate a leptophobic $SU(2)_L \times SU(2)_R \times U(1)_{B-L}$ model, in which the right-handed $W^\prime$ boson has the mass of around 2 TeV, and predominantly couples to the standard model quarks and the gauge-Higgs sector. This model could explain the resonant excesses near 2 TeV reported by the ATLAS collaboration in the $WZ$ production decaying into hadronic final states, and by the CMS collaboration in the $Wh$ channel decaying into $b\bar{b}\ell\nu$ and dijet final state. After imposing the constraints from the electroweak precision and current LHC data, we find that to explain the three excesses in $WZ$, $Wh$ and dijet channels, the $SU(2)_R$ coupling strength $g_R$ favors the range of $0.47 \sim 0.68$. In this model, given a benchmark 2 TeV $W'$ mass, the $Z'$ mass is predicted to be around $2.9$ TeV if the doublet Higgs (LPD) is used to break the G221 symmetry, consistent with the 2.9 TeV $e^+e^-$ event recently observed at CMS. A $3 \sim 5$ TeV mass is typically predicted for the triplet Higgs (LPT) symmetry breaking scenario, can also be consistent with a 2.9 TeV dilepton signal. These signatures can be further explored by the LHC Run-2 data., Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, revised version 2. With a 2.9 TeV Z' event observed in CMS, we updated our paper by discussing the possible 2.9 TeV Z' signature together with the 2 TeV W' excess

We investigate new physics effects on the Wtb effective couplings in a model-independent manner. The new physics effects are summarized as four independent couplings $f_1^L$, $f_1^R$, $f_2^L$ and $f_2^R$. Using single-top-quark productions and W-helicity fraction measurements at the LHC and Tevatron, we perform a global fit to impose constraints on top quark effective couplings. We introduce a set of parameters $x_0$, $x_m$, $x_p$ and $x_5$ to study the correlations among Wtb effective couplings. We show that (i) improving the measurements of $\sigma_t$ and $\sigma_{tW}$ is important in constraining the correlation of $(f_1^R,f_2^R)$ and $(f_2^L,f_2^R)$; (ii) $f_1^L$ and $f_2^R$ are anti-correlated, which is sensitive to all the experiments; (iii) $f_1^R$ and $f_2^L$ are also anti-correlated, which is sensitive to the W-helicity measurements; (iv) the correlation between $f_2^L$ and $f_2^R$ is sensitive to the precision of $\sigma_t$, $\sigma_{tW}$ and $F_0$ measurements. The effective Wtb couplings are studied in three kinds of new physics models: $SU(2)_1 \times SU(2)_2 \times U(1)_X$ models, vector-like quark models and Littlest Higgs model with and without T-parity. The Wtb couplings in the left-right model and the un-unified model are sensitive to the ratio of gauge couplings when the new heavy gauge boson's mass ($M_{W'}$) is less than several hundred GeV, but the constraint is loose if $M_{W'}>1$ TeV. The Wtb couplings in vector-like quark models and the Littlest Higgs models are sensitive to the mixing angles of new heavy particles and SM particles. We also include the constraints of the oblique T-parameter and Zbb couplings which impose much tighter constraints on the mixing angles. We show that the Wtb coupling constraints become relevant if the precision of single top production cross section measurements could be reduced to 1\% relative to the SM predictions in future., Comment: Chin. Phys. C in press

We study the experimental signatures of top flavored dark matter (top FDM) in direct detection searches and at the LHC. We show that for a dark matter mass above 200 GeV, top FDM can be consistent with current bounds from direct detection experiments and relic abundance constraints. We also show that next generation direct detection experiments will be able to exclude the entire perturbative parameter region for top FDM. For regions of parameter space where the flavor partners of top FDM are not readily produced, the LHC signatures of top FDM are similar to those of other models previously studied in the literature. For the case when the flavor partners are produced at the LHC, we study their impact on a search based on transverse mass variables and find that they diminish the signal significance. However, when the DM flavor partners are split in mass by less than 120-130 GeV, the LHC phenomenology becomes very distinctive through the appearance of displaced vertices. We also propose a strategy by which all parameters of the underlying model can be experimentally determined when the flavor partners can be observed., Comment: 15 pages, 16 figures. v2: references added. v3: references added; minor changes, conclusions unchanged; matches published version

To solve the doublet-triplet splitting problem in SU(5) grand unified theories, we propose a four dimensional orbifold grand unified theory by acting Z2 on the SU(5) gauge group. Without an adjoint Higgs, the orbifold procedure breaks the SU(5) gauge symmetry down to the standard model gauge group, and removes the triplet component of the fundamental SU(5) Higgs. In the supersymmetric framework, we show that the orbifold procedure removes two triplet superfields of the Higgs multiplets and leaves us with the minimal supersymmetric standard model, which also solves the hierarchy problem and realizes gauge coupling unification. We also discuss possible UV completions of the orbifold theories., Comment: 5 pages

In flavored dark matter models, dark matter can scatter off of nuclei through Higgs and photon exchange, both of which can arise from renormalizable interactions and individually lead to strong constraints from direct detection. While these two interaction channels can destructively interfere in the scattering amplitude, for a thermal relic with equal abundances for the dark matter particle and its antiparticle, this produces no effect on the total event rate. Focusing on lepton-flavored dark matter, we show that it is quite natural for dark matter to have become asymmetric during high-scale leptogenesis, and that in this case the direct detection bounds can be significantly weakened due to interference. We quantify this by mapping out and comparing the regions of parameter space that are excluded by direct detection for the symmetric and asymmetric cases of lepton-flavored dark matter. In particular, we show that the entire parameter region except for a narrow Higgs resonance window is ruled out in the symmetric case for fermion dark matter when the coupling to the Higgs dominates over the coupling to leptons, while large portions of parameter space are still allowed for the asymmetric case. The same is also true for a dark matter mass above 8 GeV for scalar dark matter when the coupling to leptons dominates over the coupling to the Higgs., Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. v2: Additional clarifications and minor changes in the text, references added. Matches version to be published in PRD

The single top quark final state provides sensitivity to new heavy resonances produced in proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. Particularly, the single top plus quark final state appears in models with heavy charged bosons or scalars, or in models with flavor-changing neutral currents involving the top quark. The cross sections and final state kinematics distinguish such models from each other and from standard model backgrounds. Several models of resonances decaying to a single top quark final state are presented and their phenomenology is discussed., Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. D

We investigate a neutral gauge boson X originated from a hidden U(1) extension of the standard model as the particle dark matter candidate. The vector dark matter interacts with the standard model fermions through heavy fermion mediators. The interactions give rise to t-channel annihilation cross section in the XX to ff process, which dominates the thermal relic abundance during thermal freeze-out and produces measurable gamma-ray flux in the galactic halo. For a light vector dark matter, if it predominantly couples to the third generation fermions, this model could explain the excess of gamma rays from the galactic center. We show that the vector dark matter with a mass of 20 ~ 40 GeV and that annihilate into the bb and tautau final states provides an excellent description of the observed gamma-ray excess. The parameter space aimed at explaining the gamma-ray excess, could also provide the correct thermal relic density and is compatible with the constraints from electroweak precision data, Higgs invisible decay, and collider searches. We also show the dark matter couplings to the nucleon from the fermion portal interactions are loop-suppressed, and only contribute to the spin-dependent cross section. So the vector dark matter could easily escape the stringent constraints from the direct detection experiments., Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, references updated in revised version

To avoid possible electroweak vacuum instability in the vector-like fermion model, we introduce a new singlet scalar to the model, which couples to the vector-like fermion, and also mixes with the Higgs boson after spontaneous symmetry breaking. We investigate the vector-like fermion predominantly coupled to the third generation quarks, and its mass is generated from the vacuum expectation value of the new scalar field in the model. In this setup, as running towards high energies, the new scalar provides positive contribution to the running of the higgs quartic coupling, and the matching on the scale of the scalar mass gives rise to a threshod effect that lifts up the higgs quartic coupling strength. The two effects help stabilize the electroweak vacuum of the Higgs potential. Therefore, this setup could evade possible vacuum instability in the vector-like fermion model. We show that a large range of parameter space is allowed to have both stable Higgs vacuum and perturbativity of all the running couplings, up to the Planck scale. We also examine the experimental constraints from the electroweak precision observables such as oblique corrections S, T and non-oblique corrections to the Zbb coupling, the Higgs coupling precision measurements, and the current LHC direct searches., Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, references added in revised version

We show that mass measurements for new particles appearing in decay chains can be improved by determining the boundary of the available phase space in its full dimensionality rather than by using one-dimensional kinematic features for each stage of the cascade decay. This is demonstrated for the case of one particle decaying to three visible and one invisible particles in a two-stage cascade, but our methods also apply to a more general set of decay topologies. We show that not only mass differences, but also the overall scale of masses can be determined with high precision without having to rely on cross section information. The improvement arises from the properties of the higher dimensional phase space itself, independent of the matrix element for the decay, and it is not weakened by the presence of intermediate on-shell particles in the cascade. Our results are particularly significant for the case of low signal statistics, a distinct possibility for new physics searches in the near future., Comment: 37 pages, 10 figures. References added, discussion of simplifying assumptions expanded, minor modifications in the text. Matches journal version

The polarization of a top-quark can be sensitive to new physics beyond the standard model. We propose a novel method to measure top-quark polarization, based on the charged lepton energy fraction in top-quark decay, and illustrate the method with a detailed simulation of top-quark pairs produced in supersymmetric top squark pair production. We show that the lepton energy ratio distribution that we define is very sensitive to the top-quark polarization but insensitive to the precise measurement of the top-quark energy., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in the Proceedings of the 48th Rencontres de Moriond "QCD and High Energy Interactions", La Thuile, Italy, March 9-16, 2013

We show how single top production in conjunction with a variety of additional final states provides a sensitive probe of new physics. We investigate several new physics scenarios such as lepto-phobic W' model, and exotic B' model, and then perform detailed simulation analyses in s-, and tW-associated production channels., Comment: Proceedings of CKM 2012, the 7th International Workshop on the CKM Unitarity Triangle, University of Cincinnati, USA, 28 September - 2 October 2012

We show how single top production at the LHC can be used to discover (and characterize the couplings of) B' quarks, which are an essential part of many natural models of new physics beyond the Standard Model. We present the B' effective model and concentrate on resonant production via a colored anomalous magnetic moment. Generally, B's preferentially decay into a single top quark produced in association with a W boson; thus, this production process makes associated single top production essential to B' searches at the LHC. We demonstrate the background processes are manageable and the signal cross section is sufficient to yield a large signal significance even during the 7 TeV LHC run. Specifically, we show that B' masses of 700 GeV or more can be probed. Moreover, if a B' is found, then the chirality of its coupling can be determined. Finally, we present signal cross sections for several different LHC energies., Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, 1 table

The polarization of a top quark can be sensitive to new physics beyond the standard model. Since the charged lepton from top quark decay is maximally correlated with the top quark spin, it is common to measure the polarization from the distribution in the angle between the charged lepton and the top quark directions. We propose a novel method based on the charged lepton energy fraction and illustrate the method with a detailed simulation of top quark pairs produced in supersymmetric top squark pair production. We show that the lepton energy ratio distribution that we define is very sensitive to the top quark polarization but insensitive to the precise measurement of the top quark energy., Comment: References added. Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters

Color-octet resonances arise in many well motivated theories beyond the standard model. As colored objects they are produced copiously at the LHC and can be discovered in early searches for new physics in dijet final states. Once they are discovered it will be important to measure the couplings of the new resonances to determine the underlying theoretical structure. We propose a new channel, associated production of $W,Z$ gauge bosons and color-octet resonances, to help determine the chiral structure of the couplings. We present our analysis for a range of color-octet masses (2.5 to 4.5 TeV), couplings and decay widths for the LHC with center of mass energy of 14 TeV and 10 ${\rm fb}^{-1}$ or 100 ${\rm fb}^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. We find that the LHC can probe a large region of the parameter space up to very small couplings., Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables

We explore the discovery potential of W' and Z' boson searches for various SU(2) x SU(2) x U(1) models at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), after taking into account the constraints from low energy precision measurements and direct searches at both the Tevatron (1.96 TeV) and the LHC (7 TeV). In such models, the W' and Z' bosons emerge after the electroweak symmetry is spontaneously broken. Two patterns of the symmetry breaking are considered in this work: one is SU(2)_L x SU(2)_2 x U(1)_X to SU(2)_L x U(1)_Y (BP-I), another is SU(2)_1 x SU(2)_2 x U(1)_Y to SU(2)_L x U(1)_Y (BP-II). Examining the single production channel of W' and Z' with their subsequent leptonic decays, we find that the probability of detecting W' and Z' bosons in the considered models at the LHC (with 14 TeV) is highly limited by the low energy precision data constraints. We show that observing Z' alone, without seeing a W', does not rule out new physics models with non-Abelian gauge extension, such as the phobic models in BP-I. Models in BP-II would predict the discovery of degenerate W' and Z' bosons at the LHC., Comment: 29 pages, including 11 figures, 3 tables, added references for introduction

A large forward-backward asymmetry is seen in both the top quark rapidity distribution $A_{FB}^t$ and in the rapidity distribution of charged leptons $A_{FB}^\ell$ from top quarks produced at the Tevatron. We study the kinematic and dynamic aspects of the relationship of the two observables arising from the spin correlation between the charged lepton and the top quark with different polarization states. We emphasize the value of both measurements, and we conclude that a new physics model which produces more right-handed than left-handed top quarks is favored by the present data., Comment: accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters