Boosted Higgs $\to b\bar{b}$ in vector-boson associated production at 14 TeV

Abstract

The production of the Standard Model Higgs boson in association with a vector boson, followed by the dominant decay to $H\to b\bar{b}$, is a strong prospect for confirming and measuring the coupling to $b$-quarks in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=14$ TeV. We present an updated study of the prospects for this analysis, focussing on the most sensitive highly Lorentz-boosted region. The evolution of the efficiency and composition of the signal and main background processes as a function of the transverse momentum of the vector boson are studied covering the region $200-1000$ GeV, comparing both a conventional dijet and jet substructure selection. The lower transverse momentum region ($200-400$ GeV) is identified as the most sensitive region for the Standard Model search, with higher transverse momentum regions not improving the statistical sensitivity. For much of the studied region ($200-600$ GeV), a conventional dijet selection performs as well as the substructure approach, while for the highest transverse momentum regions ($>600$ GeV), which are particularly interesting for Beyond the Standard Model and high luminosity measurements, the jet substructure techniques are essential.

Comments: 13 pages.(Fixed figure layout error)