A new analysis of PP --> bblvjj at the LHC: Higgs and W boson associated production with two tag jets

Higgs production in association with a $W$ boson and two energetic tag jets at the LHC is studied for $M_H = 120$ \GeV, with the Higgs decaying to $b\bar{b}$ and the $W$ to $\ell\nu$ ($\ell = e, \mu$), guaranteeing high trigger efficiency. All parton level backgrounds are analyzed, including the effect of fake $b$--tagging. We discuss two detection strategies: in the first, more traditional, one, two jets are required to be $b$--tagged while in the second, which has not been previously examined in detail, only one tag is required. After all selection cuts about 80 and 200 events are foreseen in the two cases for a standard luminosity of 100 $fb^{-1}$ with a S/B ratio of 1/25 and 1/60 respectively. The corresponding statistical significancies, S/$\sqrt{\mathrm B}$ are 1.81 and 1.82.
Comment: Version accepted for publication in JHEP. Improved analysis of double b-tagging case. Brief discussion of prospects at the SLHC added