Intermediate mass standard model Higgs boson at the proposed CERN LEP$\otimes$LHC $ep$ collider

Abstract

The production of the \sm\ Higgs $ϕ$ with intermediate mass at the proposed CERN LEP$\otimes$LHC $ep$ collider in $γq(\bar q)\rightarrow W^\pmϕq'(\bar q')$, $γq(\bar q)\rightarrow Z^0ϕq(\bar q)$ and $gγ\rightarrow q\bar qϕ$ events is studied. This is done for all possible (massive) flavours of the quarks $q(q')$ and using photons generated via Compton back--scattering of laser light. We study signatures in which the Higgs decays to $b\bar b$--pairs and the electroweak vector bosons $W^\pm$ and $Z^0$ decay either hadronically or leptonically. All possible backgrounds to these signals are also computed. Flavour identification on $b$--jets is assumed. Explicit formulae for the helicity amplitudes of the above processes are given.

31 pages, Latex, 8 figures uuencoded, revised version, significant changes in the discussion of the results, in tables and figures