Search for a light CP-odd Higgs boson and low-mass dark matter at the Belle experiment

Abstract

We report on the first Belle search for a light CP-odd Higgs boson, $A^{0}$, that decays into low mass dark matter, $χ$, in final states with a single photon and missing energy. We search for events produced via the dipion transition $Υ(\textrm{2S})\rightarrowΥ(\textrm{1S})π^{+}π^{-}$, followed by the on-shell process $Υ(\textrm{1S})\rightarrowγA^{0}$ with $A^{0} \rightarrowχχ$, or by the off-shell process $Υ(\textrm{1S})\rightarrowγχχ$. Utilizing a data sample of 157.3 $\times$ 10$^{6}$ $Υ(\textrm{2S})$ decays, we find no evidence for a signal. We set limits on the branching fractions of such processes in the mass ranges $M_{A^{0}} <$ 8.97 $\textrm{GeV/}\textit{c}^{2}$ and $M_χ <$ 4.44 $\textrm{GeV/}\textit{c}^{2}$. We then use the limits on the off-shell process to set competitive limits on WIMP-nucleon scattering in the WIMP mass range below 5 $\textrm{GeV/}\textit{c}^{2}$.