Search for a new resonance decaying to a $W$ or $Z$ boson and a Higgs boson in the $\ell \ell/ \ell \nu/ \nu \nu + b \bar{b}$ final states with the ATLAS Detector

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for new heavy resonances decaying into a W or Z boson and a Higgs boson using ATLAS data, finding no significant excess and setting constraints on theoretical models.

Contribution

First search for W/Z plus Higgs resonances in multiple final states with 8 TeV ATLAS data, constraining new physics models.

Findings

No significant excess observed in the invariant mass distribution.

Constraints placed on Minimal Walking Technicolor and Heavy Vector Triplet models.

Results limit possible new resonance masses and couplings.

Abstract

A search for a new resonance decaying to a $W$ or $Z$ boson and a Higgs boson in the $\ell \ell/ \ell \nu/ \nu \nu + b \bar{b}$ final states is performed using 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data recorded at $\sqrt{s}=$ 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The search is conducted by examining the $WH/ZH$ invariant mass distribution for a localized excess. No significant deviation from the Standard Model background prediction is observed. The results are interpreted in terms of constraints on the Minimal Walking Technicolor model and on a simplified approach based on a phenomenological Lagrangian of Heavy Vector Triplets.