Precise QCD predictions for the production of a photon pair in association with two jets

TL;DR

The cross section for the production of a high-mass photon pair in association with two hadronic jets to next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics is computed and it is demonstrated that the shape of important kinematical distributions is modified by higher-order effects.

Abstract

We compute the cross section for the production of a high-mass photon pair in association with two hadronic jets to next-to-leading order (NLO) in quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Our results allow for the first time to reliably predict the absolute normalisation of this process, and demonstrate that the shape of important kinematical distributions is modified by higher-order effects. The perturbative corrections will be an important ingredient to precision studies of Higgs boson properties from its production in association with two jets.

Figures (4)

• Figure 1: Scale dependence of the total cross section at LO and NLO with $x= \mu/\mu_0$.
• Figure 2: Azimuthal angle $\Delta \Phi(j_1,j_2)$ distribution between the two hardest jets.
• Figure 3: $R$-separation $R(j_1,\gamma_1)$ between the hardest jet and the hardest photon.
• Figure 4: Invariant mass $m_{\gamma \gamma}$ of the two photons.