Studying the Higgs Potential via $e^{+}{e}^{-}\to Zhh$

Abstract

The physics prospect at future linear $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ colliders for the study of the Higgs triple self-coupling via the process of $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ $\to Zhh$ is investigated. The measurement of this cross section leads us to the first non-trivial information on the Higgs potential. We found that the Standard Model and the model without the Higgs self-coupling can be distinguished at the level of one standard deviation for a rather light Higgs mass with 100 fb${}^{-1}$ integrated luminosity. In the MSSM, the cross section is enhanced if the production of at least one of heavy Higgs bosons ($H$ or $A$) and its subsequent decay ($H\to hh$, $A\to Zh$) are kinematically allowed. When such processes are not allowed, the cross section in the region of small $m_A$ is significantly suppressed relative to the SM cross section.

10 pages, 7 figures included