A C++ program for estimating detector sensitivities to long-lived particles: Displaced Decay Counter

TL;DR

This paper introduces Displaced Decay Counter, a C++ tool designed to estimate the sensitivity of proposed far-detectors at the LHC to long-lived particles, aiding in new physics searches.

Contribution

The paper presents a new numerical tool that integrates with collider simulation software to evaluate detector sensitivities for long-lived particle models.

Findings

Validated detector models with three benchmark scenarios

Flexible design allows for custom detector configurations

Facilitates sensitivity estimation for future collider experiments

Abstract

A series of far-detector programs have been proposed for operation at various interaction points of the Large Hadron Collider during the upcoming runs. Investigating the potential and complementarity of these experiments for new-physics searches goes through the estimation of their sensitivity to specific long-lived particle models. Here, we present an integrated numerical tool written in the C++ language and called Displaced Decay Counter, which we have created to this end and which can be used in association with MadGraph5, Pythia8, or any other state-of-the-art Monte-Carlo collider simulation tool. Several far-detector models have been implemented within the program, accounting for the geometry and integrated luminosity of projected detectors. Additional or more accurate designs can be easily constructed through a dedicated interface. The functionality of this tool is exemplified through the discussion of three benchmark scenarios, which we consider for the validation of the implemented detector models.