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Standard Model and SMEFT Higgs theory overview

Ramona Gröber

TL;DR

Problem: despite precise measurements of Higgs couplings to vectors and third-generation fermions, the Higgs potential, self-coupling, and light-generation Yukawas remain poorly constrained. Approach: the paper surveys precision SM predictions and EFT interpretations using SMEFT and HEFT, and discusses viable UV completions that can generate light-Yukawa deviations. Contributions: it summarizes state-of-the-art $N^3LO$ QCD results for Higgs production, $NLO$ EW corrections, and RG evolution of Wilson coefficients, including the Higgs-gluon sector, and the role of HEFT in multi-Higgs dynamics; it analyzes UV scenarios with vector-like quarks/leptons that could enhance light Yukawas and are testable at HL-LHC and FCC-ee. Significance: the framework supports model-independent Higgs characterisation and guides future collider searches.

Abstract

After more than a decade from its discovery, the Higgs boson remains at the centre of the particle physics programme. While its couplings to vector bosons and third-generation fermions have been measured with impressive precision, the structure of the Higgs potential, the self-couplings, and the interactions with first- and second-generation fermions are still poorly constrained. This contribution summarises recent theoretical progress in precision predictions in Higgs physics, the interpretation of these results in Effective Field Theories (EFTs), and the current and future prospects to probe light Yukawa couplings at the LHC and beyond.

Standard Model and SMEFT Higgs theory overview

TL;DR

Problem: despite precise measurements of Higgs couplings to vectors and third-generation fermions, the Higgs potential, self-coupling, and light-generation Yukawas remain poorly constrained. Approach: the paper surveys precision SM predictions and EFT interpretations using SMEFT and HEFT, and discusses viable UV completions that can generate light-Yukawa deviations. Contributions: it summarizes state-of-the-art QCD results for Higgs production, EW corrections, and RG evolution of Wilson coefficients, including the Higgs-gluon sector, and the role of HEFT in multi-Higgs dynamics; it analyzes UV scenarios with vector-like quarks/leptons that could enhance light Yukawas and are testable at HL-LHC and FCC-ee. Significance: the framework supports model-independent Higgs characterisation and guides future collider searches.

Abstract

After more than a decade from its discovery, the Higgs boson remains at the centre of the particle physics programme. While its couplings to vector bosons and third-generation fermions have been measured with impressive precision, the structure of the Higgs potential, the self-couplings, and the interactions with first- and second-generation fermions are still poorly constrained. This contribution summarises recent theoretical progress in precision predictions in Higgs physics, the interpretation of these results in Effective Field Theories (EFTs), and the current and future prospects to probe light Yukawa couplings at the LHC and beyond.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 5 sections, 1 equation, 3 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Precision predictions in Higgs physics
  3. Effective Field Theories in Higgs Physics
  4. Light generation Yukawa couplings
  5. Conclusion

Figures (3)

  • Figure 1: Ratio of various choices of the top mass renormalisation scheme with respect to the onshell (OS) prediction. Figure taken from Ref. Bagnaschi:2023rbx.
  • Figure 2: Left: Schematic description of the powercounting in SMEFT and HEFT. In SMEFT loop expansion and EFT expansion are independent, while in HEFT they are not, so in a consistent expansion one should stay on the diagonal. Right: Example of the impact of the RGE running of the SMEFT Wilsone coefficients in Higgs pair production. Figure taken from Ref. DiNoi:2024ajj.
  • Figure 3: Maximally allowed values of the light quark Yukawa couplings in various models featuring two vector-like quark states (the notation for those is following Ref. deBlas:2017xtg). The red line indicates HL-LHC projections from Balzani:2023jas, whereas the purple line are CMS bounds CMS:2025xkn. Figure taken from Ref. Erdelyi:2024sls.