Hidden Valley searches at CLIC

TL;DR

This study assesses the potential to detect long-lived particles at CLIC using simulated data, focusing on displaced decay vertices and setting upper limits on production cross sections for various particle lifetimes and masses.

Contribution

It provides sensitivity estimates for long-lived particle detection at CLIC, employing detailed simulation and vertex reconstruction techniques for the first time in this context.

Findings

Set upper limits on production cross sections for long-lived particles.

Demonstrated vertex reconstruction for displaced decay products.

Analyzed sensitivity for particles with lifetimes from 1 to 300 ps.

Abstract

The sensitivity studies to observe long-lived particles predicted by a set of beyond the Standard Model theoretical models are reported. The analysis is based on a data sample of $e^+e^-$ collisions at sqrt(s) = 3 TeV, simulated with the CLIC_ILD detector model and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 ab-1. Long-lived particle decay products are subsequently combined to reconstruct the parent bosons employing secondary vertices displaced from the beam axis. The upper limits on the production cross section for the long-lived particle lifetimes from 1 to 300 ps, masses between 25 and 50 GeV/c2, and a parent Higgs mass of 126 GeV/c2 are determined.