Revisiting the production of ALPs at B-factories

In this paper, the production of Axion-Like Particles (ALPs) at B-factories via the process e+e− → γa is revisited. To this purpose, the relevant cross-section is computed via an effective Lagrangian with simultaneous ALP couplings to b-quarks and photons. The interplay between resonant and non-resonant contributions is shown to be relevant for experiments operating at s=mϒ(nS), with n = 1, 2, 3, while the non-resonant one dominates at ϒ(4S). These effects imply that the experimental searches performed at different quarkonia resonances are sensitive to complementary combinations of ALP couplings. To illustrate these results, constraints from existing BaBar and Belle data on ALPs decaying into invisible final states are derived, and the prospects for the Belle-II experiment are discussedThe authors acknowledge F. Anulli, D. Becirevic, S. Fajfer, A. Guerrera, C. Hearty, S.J.D. King, T. Ferben, S. Lacaprara, M. Margoni, F. Mescia, M. Passera and P. Paradisi for very useful exchanges. This project has received support by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement N◦ 674896 (ITN Elusives) and 690575 (RISE InvisiblePlus) and by the exchange of researchers project “The flavor of the invisible universe” funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). L.M. acknowledges partial financial support by the Spanish MINECO through the “Ram´on y Cajal” programme (RYC-2015-17173), by the Spanish “Agencia Estatal de Investigaci´on” (AEI) and the EU “Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional” (FEDER) through the project FPA2016-78645-P, and through the Centro de excelencia Severo Ochoa Program under grant SEV-2016-0597. L.M. thanks the Physics and Astronomy Department ‘G.Galilei’ of the Universit`a degli Studi di Padova for hospitality during the development of this projec

Flavor constraints on electroweak ALP couplings

We explore the signals of axion-like particles (ALPs) in flavor-changing neutral current (FCNC) processes. The most general effective linear Lagrangian for ALP couplings to the electroweak bosonic sector is considered, and its contribution to FCNC decays is computed up to one-loop order. The interplay between the different couplings opens new territory for experimental exploration, as analyzed here in the ALP mass range $0<m_a \lesssim 5$ GeV. When kinematically allowed, $K\to \pi \nu \bar{\nu}$ decays provide the most stringent constraints for channels with invisible final states, while $B$-meson decays are more constraining for visible decay channels, such as displaced vertices in $B\to K^{(\ast)} \mu^+ \mu^-$ data. The complementarity with collider constraints is discussed as well.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure

On the Viability of Minimal Neutrinophilic Two-Higgs-Doublet Models

We study the constraints that electroweak precision data can impose, after the discovery of the Higgs boson by the LHC, on neutrinophilic two-Higgs-doublet models which comprise one extra $SU(2)\times U(1)$ doublet and a new symmetry, namely a spontaneously broken $\mathbb{Z}_2$ or a softly broken global $U(1)$. In these models the extra Higgs doublet, via its very small vacuum expectation value, is the sole responsible for neutrino masses. We find that the model with a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry is basically ruled out by electroweak precision data, even if the model is slightly extended to include extra right-handed neutrinos, due to the presence of a very light scalar. While the other model is still perfectly viable, the parameter space is considerably constrained by current data, specially by the $T$ parameter. In particular, the new charged and neutral scalars must have very similar masses.Comment: 22 pages, 3 figures, references and comments added, conclusions unchanged, matches version to appear in JHE

Closing the window on single leptoquark solutions to the B-physics anomalies

We examine various scenarios in which the Standard Model is extended by a light leptoquark state to solve for one or both B-physics anomalies, viz. R_D(◦)^exp \u3e R_D(◦)^SM or/and R_K(◦)^exp \u3c R_K(◦)^SM. To do so we combine the constraints arising both from the low-energy observables and from direct searches at the LHC. We find that none of the scalar leptoquarks of mass mLQ ≃ 1 TeV can alone accommodate the above mentioned anomalies. The only single leptoquark scenario which can provide a viable solution for mLQ ≃ 1÷2 TeV is a vector leptoquark, known as U1, which we re-examine in its minimal form (letting only left-handed couplings to have non-zero values). We find that the limits deduced from direct searches are complementary to the low-energy physics constraints. In particular, we find a rather stable lower bound on the lepton flavor violating b → sℓ_1^±ℓ_2^± modes, such as B(B → K μΤ). Improving the experimental upper bound on B(B → K μΤ) by two orders of magnitude could compromise the viability of the minimal U1 model as well

Closing the window on single leptoquark solutions to the B-physics anomalies

We examine various scenarios in which the Standard Model is extended by a light leptoquark state to solve for one or both B-physics anomalies, viz. R_D(◦)^exp \u3e R_D(◦)^SM or/and R_K(◦)^exp \u3c R_K(◦)^SM. To do so we combine the constraints arising both from the low-energy observables and from direct searches at the LHC. We find that none of the scalar leptoquarks of mass mLQ ≃ 1 TeV can alone accommodate the above mentioned anomalies. The only single leptoquark scenario which can provide a viable solution for mLQ ≃ 1÷2 TeV is a vector leptoquark, known as U1, which we re-examine in its minimal form (letting only left-handed couplings to have non-zero values). We find that the limits deduced from direct searches are complementary to the low-energy physics constraints. In particular, we find a rather stable lower bound on the lepton flavor violating b → sℓ_1^±ℓ_2^± modes, such as B(B → K μΤ). Improving the experimental upper bound on B(B → K μΤ) by two orders of magnitude could compromise the viability of the minimal U1 model as well

Closing the window on single leptoquark solutions to the B-physics anomalies

We examine various scenarios in which the Standard Model is extended by a light leptoquark state to solve for one or both B-physics anomalies, viz. R_D(◦)^exp \u3e R_D(◦)^SM or/and R_K(◦)^exp \u3c R_K(◦)^SM. To do so we combine the constraints arising both from the low-energy observables and from direct searches at the LHC. We find that none of the scalar leptoquarks of mass mLQ ≃ 1 TeV can alone accommodate the above mentioned anomalies. The only single leptoquark scenario which can provide a viable solution for mLQ ≃ 1÷2 TeV is a vector leptoquark, known as U1, which we re-examine in its minimal form (letting only left-handed couplings to have non-zero values). We find that the limits deduced from direct searches are complementary to the low-energy physics constraints. In particular, we find a rather stable lower bound on the lepton flavor violating b → sℓ_1^±ℓ_2^± modes, such as B(B → K μΤ). Improving the experimental upper bound on B(B → K μΤ) by two orders of magnitude could compromise the viability of the minimal U1 model as well

Closing the window on single leptoquark solutions to the B-physics anomalies

We examine various scenarios in which the Standard Model is extended by a light leptoquark state to solve for one or both B-physics anomalies, viz. R_D(◦)^exp \u3e R_D(◦)^SM or/and R_K(◦)^exp \u3c R_K(◦)^SM. To do so we combine the constraints arising both from the low-energy observables and from direct searches at the LHC. We find that none of the scalar leptoquarks of mass mLQ ≃ 1 TeV can alone accommodate the above mentioned anomalies. The only single leptoquark scenario which can provide a viable solution for mLQ ≃ 1÷2 TeV is a vector leptoquark, known as U1, which we re-examine in its minimal form (letting only left-handed couplings to have non-zero values). We find that the limits deduced from direct searches are complementary to the low-energy physics constraints. In particular, we find a rather stable lower bound on the lepton flavor violating b → sℓ_1^±ℓ_2^± modes, such as B(B → K μΤ). Improving the experimental upper bound on B(B → K μΤ) by two orders of magnitude could compromise the viability of the minimal U1 model as well

Closing the window on single leptoquark solutions to the B-physics anomalies

We examine various scenarios in which the Standard Model is extended by a light leptoquark state to solve for one or both B-physics anomalies, viz. R_D(◦)^exp \u3e R_D(◦)^SM or/and R_K(◦)^exp \u3c R_K(◦)^SM. To do so we combine the constraints arising both from the low-energy observables and from direct searches at the LHC. We find that none of the scalar leptoquarks of mass mLQ ≃ 1 TeV can alone accommodate the above mentioned anomalies. The only single leptoquark scenario which can provide a viable solution for mLQ ≃ 1÷2 TeV is a vector leptoquark, known as U1, which we re-examine in its minimal form (letting only left-handed couplings to have non-zero values). We find that the limits deduced from direct searches are complementary to the low-energy physics constraints. In particular, we find a rather stable lower bound on the lepton flavor violating b → sℓ_1^±ℓ_2^± modes, such as B(B → K μΤ). Improving the experimental upper bound on B(B → K μΤ) by two orders of magnitude could compromise the viability of the minimal U1 model as well

Testable axion-like particles in the minimal linear σ model

Axion and axion-like particle models are typically affected by a strong fine-tuning problem in conceiving the electroweak and the Peccei-Quinn breaking scales. Within the context of the Minimal Linear σ Model, axion-like particle constructions are identified where this hierarchy problem is solved, accounting for a TeV Peccei-Quinn breaking scale and a pseudoscalar particle with a mass larger than 10 MeV. Potential signatures at colliders and B-factories are discussedThe authors acknowledge partial financial support by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreements No.690575 and No. 674896. J.A.G and L.M. acknowledge partial financial support by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and the EU Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional(FEDER) through the project FPA2016-78645-P, and through the Centro de excelencia Severo Ochoa Program under grant SEV-2016-0597. L. M. acknowledges partial financial support by the Spanish MINECO through the “Ramón y Cajal” programme (RYC-2015-17173).J.A.G. and L.M. thank the Physics and Astronomy department “Galileo Galilei” of the Padua University for hospitality during the development of this project. Furthermore, L.M. thanks the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe for hospitality during the development of this projec