Degenerate states in the scalar boson spectrum. Is the Higgs Boson a Twin ?

TL;DR

This paper explores an extended standard model with two Higgs multiplets, revealing degenerate scalar states near 123 GeV, including nearly degenerate twins, which could relate to the Higgs boson observed at the LHC.

Contribution

It introduces a novel scalar spectrum analysis in an extended SU(3) model, showing conditions for degenerate and twin Higgs-like states near 123 GeV.

Findings

Degenerate scalar states occur near 123 GeV in the model.

Nearly degenerate twin states are possible with equal VEVs.

A single state persists near 123 GeV in some solutions.

Abstract

The extension of the standard model to $SU(3)_L\times SU(3)_R \times SU(3)_C$ is considered. Spontaneous symmetry breaking requires two $(3^*, 3, 1)$ Higgs field multiplets with a strong hierarchical structure of their vacuum expectation values. An invariant potential is constructed to provide for these vacuum expectation values. This potential gives masses to all scalar fields apart from the 15 Goldstone bosons. In case there exists a one-to-one correspondence between the vacuum expectation values of the two field multiplets, the scalar boson spectrum contains degenerate eigenstates. The lowest eigenstate has a mass near 123 GeV close to the Higgs-like particle discovered at the LHC. In one class of solutions this lowest state is a nearly degenerate twin state. Each member is a superposition of fields from both multiplets with about equal strength. The twins are non identical twins, namely different combinations of a conventional Higgs and a Higgs field which is not coupled to fermions, only to gauge bosons. A second class of solutions leads again to degenerate states but in this case the state near 123 GeV remains a single state even for identical low scale vacuum expectation values in both multiplets.