Prospects for Higgs Searches via VBF at the LHC with the ATLAS Detector

TL;DR

This paper assesses the discovery potential for the Standard Model Higgs boson via vector boson fusion at the LHC using the ATLAS detector, focusing on various decay channels and employing advanced analysis techniques.

Contribution

It provides a detailed feasibility study of Higgs searches via VBF at the LHC, including simulation results and multivariate analysis methods for multiple decay channels.

Findings

High discovery potential for Higgs in 115-300 GeV mass range.

Effective use of multivariate techniques enhances detection prospects.

Feasibility demonstrated for several Higgs decay modes.

Abstract

We report on the potential for the discovery of a Standard Model Higgs boson with the vector boson fusion mechanism in the mass range $115<M_H<500 \gev$ with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Feasibility studies at hadron level followed by a fast detector simulation have been performed for $H\to W^{(*)}W^{(*)}\to l^+l^-\sla{p_T}$, $H\to\gamma\gamma$ and $H\to ZZ\to l^+l^-q\bar{q}$. The results obtained show a large discovery potential in the range $115<M_H<300 \gev$. Results obtained with multivariate techniques are reported for a number of channels.