A search for heavy axion-like particles in light-by-light scattering at the FCC-hh

Abstract

A virtual production of heavy axion-like particles (ALPs) via light-by-light scattering in pp, pPb and Pb collisions at the future 100 TeV collider FCC-hh is studied. Both differential and total cross sections are calculated. The 95\% C.L. exclusion limits, as well as $3σ$ and $5σ$ discovery limits on an ALP coupling constant versus ALP mass $m_a$ are given, using integrated luminosities of 30 ab$^{-1}$, 27 pb$^{-1}$ and 110 nb$^{-1}$. Our results are compared with the current LHC bounds. The strongest limit on the ALP coupling is obtained if $m_a \simeq 250$ GeV for the PbPb collisions, and if $m_a \simeq 1$ TeV for pp or pPb collisions. It allows us to conclude that the FCC-hh has a great physics potential of searching for the heavy ALPs.

Figures (6)

• Figure 1: The total and SM cross sections for the processes $Pb(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$ (left panel), $p(\gamma\gamma \rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$ (middle panel), and $p(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)p$ (right panel) at the FCC-hh depending on the invariant mass of the outgoing photons. The ALP mass is $m_a = 1.2$ TeV, and the ALP-photon coupling is $f_a^{-1} = 0.1$ TeV$^{-1}$.
• Figure 2: The total cross sections for the processes $Pb(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$ (left panel), $p(\gamma\gamma \rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$ (middle panel), and $p(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)p$ (right panel) at the FCC-hh depending on the ALP mass. The ALP-photon coupling constant is taken to be $f_a^{-1} =$ TeV$^{-1}$. The cut $m_{\gamma\gamma} > 200$ GeV is imposed.
• Figure 3: The 95% C.L. limits on the ALP coupling constant depending on the ALP mass from $Pb(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$, $p(\gamma\gamma \rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$, and $p(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)p$ collisions.
• Figure 4: The $3\sigma$ discovery limits on the ALP coupling constant as a function of the ALP mass for $Pb(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$, $p(\gamma\gamma \rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$, and $p(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)p$ collisions.
• Figure 5: The $5\sigma$ discovery limits on the ALP coupling constant as a function of the ALP mass for $Pb(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$, $p(\gamma\gamma \rightarrow\gamma\gamma)Pb$, and $p(\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma)p$ collisions.