Exploring the neutral sector in the doublet-triplet Higgs model

Abstract

The addition of a weak triplet of complex scalar fields to the Standard Model provides a promising way to generate tiny neutrino masses via the type-II seesaw mechanism, while providing naturally a Standard Model like Higgs state. Electroweak symmetry breaking in this model results in singly- and doubly-charged Higgs bosons, two neutral scalar bosons, and one pseudo scalar boson. A thorough understanding of the theoretical and experimental constraints, and the resultant parameter space is developped. A direct search for the doubly charged Higgs boson is the most important probe in Higgs triplet models. While stringent limits have been put on its mass in its dileptonic decay mode, which occurs for a small triplet vacuum expectation value, the dibosonic channel is still largely unconstrained at large vacuum expectation values. Associate production with singly charged Higgs, as well as with the neutral BSM sector, previously not investigated, is explored in order to enhance the discovery potential at the LHC.