Detecting the Supersymmetric Higgs Bosons: An Overview and the Role of $\text{gam}\text{gam}$ Collisions

Abstract

I summarize the abilities of LEP-II, the SSC/LHC hadron colliders, and a future high energy $\text{epem}$ collider (NLC) to detect the Higgs bosons of the Minimal Supersymmetric Model (MSSM). I then review the unique capabilities of a back-scattered laser beam facility (BSLBF) at the NLC for detecting the heavier neutral Higgs bosons (the $\text{hh}$ and $\text{ha}$) of the MSSM. A BSLBF could well allow $\text{hh}$ and $\text{ha}$ discovery via inclusive $\text{gam}\text{gam}\text{rta}\text{hh},\text{ha}$ production out to masses of order $0.8\sqrt{s}$, \ie\ roughly $400\text{gev}$, at the NLC. In addition, a BSLBF allows one to check for CP violation in the neutral Higgs sector; such CP violation is predicted to be absent in the MSSM. (Full postscript file available upon request. Macropackage phyzzx.tex required. To appear in Proceedings of 23rd INFN Eloisatron Workshop.)

Comments: 42 pages, UCD-93-8