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This content will become publicly available on April 1, 2026

Title: Probing light scalars and vector-like quarks at the high-luminosity LHC
Abstract A model based on a$$U(1)_{T^3_R}$$ U ( 1 ) T R 3 extension of the Standard Model can address the mass hierarchy between generations of fermions, explain thermal dark matter abundance, and the muon$$g - 2$$ g - 2 ,$$R_{(D)}$$ R ( D ) , and$$R_{(D^*)}$$ R ( D ) anomalies. The model contains a light scalar boson$$\phi '$$ ϕ and a heavy vector-like quark$$\chi _\textrm{u}$$ χ u that can be probed at CERN’s large hadron collider (LHC). We perform a phenomenology study on the production of$$\phi '$$ ϕ and$${\chi }_u$$ χ u particles from proton–proton$$(\textrm{pp})$$ ( pp ) collisions at the LHC at$$\sqrt{s}=13.6$$ s = 13.6 TeV, primarily through$$g{-g}$$ g - g and$$t{-\chi _\textrm{u}}$$ t - χ u fusion. We work under a simplified model approach and directly take the$$\chi _\textrm{u}$$ χ u and$$\phi '$$ ϕ masses as free parameters. We perform a phenomenological analysis considering$$\chi _\textrm{u}$$ χ u final states to b-quarks, muons, and neutrinos, and$$\phi '$$ ϕ decays to$$\mu ^+\mu ^-$$ μ + μ - . A machine learning algorithm is used to maximize the signal sensitivity, considering an integrated luminosity of 3000$$\text {fb}^{-1}$$ fb - 1 . The proposed methodology can be a key mode for discovery over a large mass range, including low masses, traditionally considered difficult due to experimental constraints.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2111554 1945366 2411502
PAR ID:
10590586
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Springer
Date Published:
Journal Name:
The European Physical Journal C
Volume:
85
Issue:
4
ISSN:
1434-6052
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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