On the discovery potential of the lightest MSSM Higgs Boson at the LHC

Abstract

Production of the lightest MSSM Higgs boson h is studied at the LHC. Isorate contours for the h -> gamma gamma and h -> tau+tau- decay channels are shown in the m_A,tan(beta) parameter space. Effects of the SUSY parameters, in particular the stop mixing and stop quark mass, are investigated. Search strategies at the LHC are discussed and the discovery potential is calculated for the CMS experiment. The MSSM parameter space for m_A > 150-200 GeV is expected to be covered with at least one decay channel with an integrated luminosity of 60 fb^{-1}. A light stop quark with large stop mixing can affect seriously the discovery potential in the h -> gamma gamma and h -> ZZ* decay channels.

16 pages, 18 eps figures. One figure replaced, references corrected