Measuring the Higgs to Photon-Photon Branching Ratio at the Next Linear $e^+e^-$ Collider

Abstract

We examine the prospects for measuring the photon-photon branching ratio of a Standard-Model-like Higgs boson ($h$) at the Next Linear $e^+e^-$ Collider when the Higgs boson is produced via $W^+W^-$--fusion: $e^+e^-\to\nu_e \bar\nu_e h$. In particular, we study the accuracy of such a measurement and the statistical significance of the associated signal as a function of the electromagnetic calorimeter resolution and the Higgs boson mass. We compare results for the $W^+W^-$--fusion production/measurement mode with the results obtained for the $e^+e^-\rightarrow Z^*\rightarrow Z h$ production/measurement mode in a parallel earlier study.Comment: 5 pages, full postscript file also available via anonymous ftp at ftp://ucdhep.ucdavis.edu/gunion/htogamgam_sm96.ps To appear in ``Proceedings of the 1996 DPF/DPB Summer Study on New Directions for High Energy Physics'