New physics and signal-background interference in associated $pp\to HZ$ production

TL;DR

This paper examines how new physics in the top-Higgs sector can affect signal-background interference in associated Higgs production, revealing potential footprints in the $HZ$ limit through detailed analysis of the full final state.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of electroweak interference effects in $pp o b ar b \, \ell^+\ell^-$ considering new physics scenarios that modify the top-Higgs interactions.

Findings

New physics can enhance the $ZZ$ component, affecting interference patterns.

Footprints of new physics can be observed in the $HZ$ limit setting.

Genuine phenomenological signatures of certain new interactions are identified.

Abstract

We re-investigate electroweak signal-background interference in associated Higgs production via gluon fusion in the presence of new physics in the top-Higgs sector. Considering the full final state $pp \to b \bar b \ell^+\ell^-$ ($\ell=e,\mu$), we discuss how new physics in the top-Higgs sector that enhances the $ZZ$ component can leave footprints in the $HZ$ limit setting. In passing we investigate the phenomenology of a class of new physics interactions that can be genuinely studied in this process.