Abstract
A search for evidence of invisible-particle decay modes of a Higgs boson produced in association with a boson at the Large Hadron Collider is presented. No deviation from the standard model expectation is observed in () of 7 (8) TeV collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment. Assuming the standard model rate for production, an upper limit of 75%, at the 95% confidence level is set on the branching ratio to invisible-particle decay modes of the Higgs boson at a mass of 125.5 GeV. The limit on the branching ratio is also interpreted in terms of an upper limit on the allowed dark matter-nucleon scattering cross section within a Higgs-portal dark matter scenario. Within the constraints of such a scenario, the results presented in this Letter provide the strongest available limits for low-mass dark matter candidates. Limits are also set on an additional neutral Higgs boson, in the mass range , produced in association with a boson and decaying to invisible particles.
- Received 13 February 2014
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.201802
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© 2014 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration
Synopsis
The Dark Side of the Higgs
Published 20 May 2014
The decay of the Higgs boson into “invisible particles” delivers no evidence of physics beyond the standard model, putting new limits on dark matter theories.
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