An almost elementary Higgs: Theory and Practice

Understand

We study models that interpolate between an elementary and a composite Higgs boson.

• Such models, arising in theories with new vector-like fermions with electro-weak quantum numbers and charged under a confining gauge interaction, are entirely compatible with current data, with only weak bounds from flavor, CP-violation and precision tests.
• After classifying the models from the point of view of symmetries, we study their collider phenomenology at LHC.
• In the most relevant scenarios, bounds from present searches exclude heavy scalar isospin triplets and quintuplets up to $\sim 200\;$GeV and we show how dedicated searches of simple signals such as $pp\to 3 \gamma W$ could improve the reach by at least a factor of 2 with present data, reaching $O(1\;{\rm TeV})$ with higher integrated luminosities.