|
|
Helo, J. C., Kovalenko, S. G., Hirsch, M., & Pas, H. (2013). Neutrinoless double beta decay and lepton number violation at the LHC. Phys. Rev. D, 88(1), 011901–5pp.
Abstract: We compare the discovery potential of the LHC for lepton number violating (LNV) signals with the sensitivity of current and future double beta decay experiments, assuming 0 nu beta beta decay is dominated by heavy particle exchange. We consider charged scalar, leptoquark and diquark mechanisms of 0 nu beta beta decay, covering the 0 nu beta beta decay operators with both, the smallest and largest, possible rates. We demonstrate, if 0 nu beta beta decay were found with a half-life below 10(26)-10(27) years a positive signal should show up at the LHC, except for some particular cases of the leptoquark mechanism, and vice versa, if the LHC does not find any hints for LNV, a “short-range” explanation for a finite 0 nu beta beta decay half-life will be ruled out in most cases. We argue, if a positive LNV signal were found at the LHC, it is possible to identify the dominant contribution to 0 nu beta beta. Two different kinds of observables which could provide such “model discriminating” power are discussed: different invariant mass peaks and the charge asymmetry.
|
|
|
|
Helo, J. C., Kovalenko, S. G., Hirsch, M., & Pas, H. (2013). Short-range mechanisms of neutrinoless double beta decay at the LHC. Phys. Rev. D, 88(7), 073011–19pp.
Abstract: Lepton number violation (LNV) mediated by short- range operators can manifest itself in both neutrinoless double beta decay (0 nu beta beta) and in processes with same- sign dilepton final states at the LHC. We derive limits from existing LHC data at root s = 8 TeV and compare the discovery potential of the forthcoming root s = 14 TeV phase of the LHC with the sensitivity of current and future 0 nu beta beta decay experiments, assuming the short-range part of the 0 nu beta beta decay amplitude dominates. We focus on the first of two possible topologies triggered by one fermion and two bosons in the intermediate state. In all cases, except for the pure leptoquark mechanism, the LHC will be more sensitive than 0 nu beta beta decay in the future. In addition, we propose to search for a charge asymmetry in the final state leptons and to use different invariant mass peaks as a possible tool to discriminate the various possible mechanisms for LNV signals at the LHC.
|
|
|
|
Helo, J. C., Kovalenko, S. G., & Hirsch, M. (2014). Heavy neutrino searches at the LHC with displaced vertices. Phys. Rev. D, 89(7), 073005–7pp.
Abstract: Sterile neutrinos with masses in the range of 1-100 GeV have been searched for in a variety of experiments. Here, we discuss the prospects of searching for sterile neutrinos at the LHC using displaced vertices. Two different cases are discussed: (i) the standard model extended with sterile neutrinos, and (ii) right-handed neutrinos in a left-right symmetric extension of the standard model. A dedicated displaced vertex search will allow us to probe parts of the parameter space not accessible to other searches, but both cases will require a large luminosity.
|
|
|
|
Helo, J. C., Hirsch, M., & Wang, Z. S. (2018). Heavy neutral fermions at the high-luminosity LHC. J. High Energy Phys., 07(7), 056–23pp.
Abstract: Long-lived light particles (LLLPs) appear in many extensions of the standard model. LLLPs are usually motivated by the observed small neutrino masses, by dark matter or both. Typical examples for fermionic LLLPs (a.k.a. heavy neutral fermions, HNFs) are sterile neutrinos or the lightest neutralino in R-parity violating supersymmetry. The high luminosity LHC is expected to deliver up to 3/ab of data. Searches for LLLPs in dedicated experiments at the LHC could then probe the parameter space of LLLP models with unprecedented sensitivity. Here, we compare the prospects of several recent experimental proposals, FASER, CODEX-b and MATHUSLA, to search for HNFs and discuss their relative merits.s
|
|
|
|
Helo, J. C., Hirsch, M., Ota, T., & Pereira dos Santos, F. A. (2015). Double beta decay and neutrino mass models. J. High Energy Phys., 05(5), 092–40pp.
Abstract: Neutrinoless double beta decay allows to constrain lepton number violating extensions of the standard model. If neutrinos are Majorana particles, the mass mechanism will always contribute to the decay rate, however, it is not a priori guaranteed to be the dominant contribution in all models. Here, we discuss whether the mass mechanism dominates or not from the theory point of view. We classify all possible (scalar-mediated) short-range contributions to the decay rate according to the loop level, at which the corresponding models will generate Majorana neutrino masses, and discuss the expected relative size of the different contributions to the decay rate in each class. Our discussion is general for models based on the SM group but does not cover models with an extended gauge. We also work out the phenomenology of one concrete 2-loop model in which both, mass mechanism and short-range diagram, might lead to competitive contributions, in some detail.
|
|
|
|
Helo, J. C., Hirsch, M., & Ota, T. (2016). Long-range contributions to double beta decay revisited. J. High Energy Phys., 06(6), 006–32pp.
Abstract: We discuss the systematic decomposition of all dimension-7 (d = 7) lepton number violating operators. These d = 7 operators produce momentum enhanced contributions to the long-range part of the 0 nu beta beta decay amplitude and thus are severely constrained by existing half-live limits. In our list of possible models one can find contributions to the long-range amplitude discussed previously in the literature, such as the left-right symmetric model or scalar leptoquarks, as well as some new models not considered before. The d = 7 operators generate Majorana neutrino mass terms either at tree-level, 1-loop or 2-loop level. We systematically compare constraints derived from the mass mechanism to those derived from the long-range 0 nu beta beta decay amplitude and classify our list of models accordingly. We also study one particular example decomposition, which produces neutrino masses at 2-loop level, can fit oscillation data and yields a large contribution to the long-range 0 nu beta beta decay amplitude, in some detail.
|
|
|
|
Helo, J. C., Hirsch, M., & Ota, T. (2018). Proton decay and light sterile neutrinos. J. High Energy Phys., 06(6), 047–15pp.
Abstract: Within the standard model, non-renormalizable operators at dimension six (d = 6) violate baryon and lepton number by one unit and thus lead to proton decay. Here, we point out that the proton decay mode with a charged pion and missing energy can be a characteristic signature of d = 6 operators containing a light sterile neutrino, if it is not accompanied by the standard pi(0)e(+) final state. We discuss this effect first at the level of effective operators and then provide a concrete model with new physics at the TeV scale, in which the lightness of the active neutrinos and the stability of the proton are related.
|
|
|
|
Helo, J. C., Hirsch, M., & Ota, T. (2019). Proton decay at one loop. Phys. Rev. D, 99(9), 095021–14pp.
Abstract: Proton decay is usually discussed in the context of grand unified theories. However, as is well known, in the standard model effective theory proton decay appears in the form of higher-dimensional non-renormalizable operators. Here, we study systematically the one-loop decomposition of the d = 6 B + L violating operators. We exhaustively list the possible one-loop ultraviolet completions of these operators and discuss that, in general, two distinct classes of models appear. Models in the first class need an additional symmetry in order to avoid tree-level proton decay. These models necessarily contain a neutral particle, which could act as a dark matter candidate. For models in the second class the loop contribution dominates automatically over the tree-level proton decay, without the need for additional symmetries. We also discuss possible phenomenology of two example models, one from each class, and their possible connections to neutrino masses, LHC searches and dark matter.
|
|
|
|
Helo, J. C., & Hirsch, M. (2015). LHC dijet constraints on double beta decay. Phys. Rev. D, 92(7), 073017–7pp.
Abstract: We use LHC dijet data to derive constraints on neutrinoless double beta decay. Upper limits on cross sections for the production of “exotic” resonances, such as a right-handed W boson or a diquark, can be converted into lower limits on the double beta decay half-life for fixed choices of other parameters. Constraints derived from run-I data are already surprisingly strong and complementary to results from searches using same-sign dileptons plus jets. For the case of the left-right symmetric model, in case no new resonance is found in future runs of the LHC and assuming g(L) = g(R), we estimate a lower limit on the double beta decay half-life larger than 10(27) yr can be derived from future dijet data, except in the window of relatively light right-handed neutrino masses in the range 0.5 MeV to 50 GeV. Part of this mass window will be tested in the upcoming SHiP experiment. We also discuss current and future limits on possible scalar diquark contributions to double beta decay that can be derived from dijet data.
|
|
|
|
Gonzalez, L., Helo, J. C., Hirsch, M., & Kovalenko, S. G. (2016). Scalar-mediated double beta decay and LHC. J. High Energy Phys., 12(12), 130–15pp.
Abstract: The decay rate of neutrinoless double beta (0 nu beta beta) decay could be dominated by Lepton Number Violating (LNV) short-range diagrams involving only heavy scalar intermediate particles, known as “topology-II” diagrams. Examples are diagrams with diquarks, leptoquarks or charged scalars. Here, we compare the LNV discovery potentials of the LHC and 0 nu beta beta-decay experiments, resorting to three example models, which cover the range of the optimistic-pessimistic cases for 0 nu beta beta decay. We use the LHC constraints from dijet as well as leptoquark searches and find that already with 20/fb the LHC will test interesting parts of the parameter space of these models, not excluded by the current limits on 0 nu beta beta-decay.
|
|
