Gaugephobic Higgs Signals at the LHC

TL;DR

The paper explores the Gaugephobic Higgs model's unique signals at the LHC, highlighting a promising Higgs discovery channel via Kaluza-Klein W bosons with minimal background interference.

Contribution

It introduces a new implementation of the Gaugephobic Higgs model in SHERPA and identifies distinctive LHC signals that differentiate it from other models.

Findings

The $pp \to W^{(i)} \to WH$ process offers a high-rate, low-background Higgs discovery channel.

Higgs signals involving Kaluza-Klein excitations are present at reduced rates compared to the Standard Model.

The model's signals can be distinguished from its limiting cases using specific LHC signatures.

Abstract

The Gaugephobic Higgs model provides an interpolation between three different models of electroweak symmetry breaking: Higgsless models, Randall-Sundrum models, and the Standard Model. At parameter points between the extremes, Standard Model Higgs signals are present at reduced rates, and Higgsless Kaluza-Klein excitations are present with shifted masses and couplings, as well as signals from exotic quarks necessary to protect the Zbb coupling. Using a new implementation of the model in SHERPA, we show the LHC signals which differentiate the generic Gaugephobic Higgs model from its limiting cases. These are all signals involving a Higgs coupling to a Kaluza-Klein gauge boson or quark. We identify the clean signal $p p \to W^(i) \to W H$ mediated by a Kaluza-Klein W, which can be present at large rates and is enhanced for even Kaluza-Klein numbers. Due to the very hard lepton coming from the W decay, this signature has little background, and provides a better discovery channel for the Higgs than any of the Standard Model modes, over its entire mass range. A Higgs radiated from new heavy quarks also has large rates, but is much less promising due to very high multiplicity final states.