Measurement of the properties of Higgs boson production at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV in the $H\to\gamma\gamma$ channel using $139$ fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data with the ATLAS experiment

TL;DR

This paper reports precise measurements of Higgs boson production in the diphoton decay channel at 13 TeV using ATLAS data, testing Standard Model predictions and exploring potential new physics effects.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis with 101 signal regions using machine learning, providing the most precise Higgs production measurements to date and constraining new physics beyond the Standard Model.

Findings

Measured Higgs signal strength as 1.04^{+0.10}_{-0.09}

Set an upper limit of 10 times the SM prediction for tH production

Measured 28 STXS cross-sections consistent with SM predictions

Abstract

Measurements of Higgs boson production cross-sections are carried out in the diphoton decay channel using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The analysis is based on the definition of 101 distinct signal regions using machine-learning techniques. The inclusive Higgs boson signal strength in the diphoton channel is measured to be $1.04^{+0.10}_{-0.09}$. Cross-sections for gluon-gluon fusion, vector-boson fusion, associated production with a $W$ or $Z$ boson, and top associated production processes are reported. An upper limit of 10 times the Standard Model prediction is set for the associated production process of a Higgs boson with a single top quark, which has a unique sensitivity to the sign of the top quark Yukawa coupling. Higgs boson production is further characterized through measurements of Simplified Template Cross-Sections (STXS). In total, cross-sections of 28 STXS regions are measured. The measured STXS cross-sections are compatible with their Standard Model predictions, with a $p$-value of $93\%$. The measurements are also used to set constraints on Higgs boson coupling strengths, as well as on new interactions beyond the Standard Model in an effective field theory approach. No significant deviations from the Standard Model predictions are observed in these measurements, which provide significant sensitivity improvements compared to the previous ATLAS results.