arxiv: 2604.07161 · v1 · submitted 2026-04-08 · ✦ hep-ph

Recognition: 2 theorem links

· Lean Theorem

Impact of hidden heavy Higgs channels of VLB-Quarks below 1 TeV in 2HDM

Rachid Benbrik , Mbark Berrouj , Mohammed Boukidi , Mohamed Ech-chaouy , Kholoud Kahime , Khawla Salime

Authors on Pith no claims yet

Pith reviewed 2026-05-10 18:10 UTC · model grok-4.3

classification ✦ hep-ph

keywords vector-like bottom quarks2HDM-IIhidden Higgs decaysLHC mass limitsBSM decay channelsalignment limitheavy Higgs bosonsVLB phenomenology

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The pith

Hidden BSM decay channels for vector-like bottom quarks in 2HDM-II relax LHC mass limits from 1.5 TeV down to 0.98 TeV.

A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.

The paper examines vector-like bottom quarks embedded in the Type-II Two-Higgs-Doublet Model, where new decay modes to heavy Higgs bosons become available. These modes, B to Hb, B to Ab, and B to H minus t, are overlooked by LHC searches that assume only Standard Model final states such as Zb, hb, or Wt. In the alignment limit the new channels reach combined branching ratios near 100 percent, reducing the efficiency of existing pair-production analyses. Consequently the lower mass bound for a singlet B drops to 1.34 TeV while doublet configurations (T, B) and (B, Y) fall to 0.98 TeV. The result shows that extended Higgs sectors can conceal particles below current exclusion thresholds when searches remain restricted to SM signatures.

Core claim

In the Type-II Two-Higgs-Doublet Model the vector-like bottom quark possesses dominant decays B to Hb, B to Ab, and B to H- t that reach nearly 100 percent branching ratio in the alignment limit, thereby evading LHC searches limited to Standard Model final states and shifting the mass exclusion for singlet B from 1.5 TeV to 1.34 TeV and for doublet configurations to 0.98 TeV.

What carries the argument

The hidden BSM decay channels B to Hb, B to Ab, and B to H- t that dominate branching ratios in the 2HDM-II alignment limit and suppress sensitivity of SM-only searches.

If this is right

Singlet B mass limit relaxes from 1.5 TeV to 1.34 TeV.
Doublet (T,B) and (B,Y) mass limits drop to 0.98 TeV.
LHC searches assuming only Zb, hb, and Wt final states lose sensitivity.
Combined branching ratios for B to Hb plus B to Ab approach 100 percent in the alignment limit.
Interpretations of vector-like quark bounds must be recomputed inside extended Higgs models.

Where Pith is reading between the lines

These are editorial extensions of the paper, not claims the author makes directly.

Updated searches that tag heavy-Higgs final states could restore sensitivity around 1 TeV.
Similar hidden channels may exist for other vector-like quarks in non-minimal Higgs sectors.
HL-LHC or future colliders will need dedicated BSM decay analyses to close the gap.
The result suggests that 1 TeV-scale particles remain compatible with current data once model-specific decays are included.

Load-bearing premise

The new BSM decays dominate with branching ratios near 100 percent and existing LHC searches have zero sensitivity to the resulting final states.

What would settle it

A dedicated LHC analysis searching for B pair production followed by B to Hb or B to Ab with Higgs decays to bb or tautau that sets a limit above 1 TeV would falsify the relaxation; an observation of events in those channels below 1.34 TeV would confirm it.

Figures

Figures reproduced from arXiv: 2604.07161 by Khawla Salime, Kholoud Kahime, Mbark Berrouj, Mohamed Ech-chaouy, Mohammed Boukidi, Rachid Benbrik.

**Figure 1.** Figure 1: Recast LHC exclusions on mB as a function of BRBSM. Blue (green) line: singlet (doublet). 5 Results and Discussion We investigate the phenomenological implications of the 2HDM-II extended by a VLB quark, considering both singlet and doublet representations. In particular, we examine how the presence of BSM decay modes, namely B → Hb, B → Ab, and B → H−t, modifies the sensitivity of LHC searches, which are… view at source ↗

**Figure 2.** Figure 2: Left: BR(B → W t) versus BR(B → H−t); Right: total BRBSM ≡ BR(B → Ab) + BR(B → Hb) + BR(B → H−t) versus BR(B → W t). The color bar shows the recast lower limit on mB in TeV for the 2HDM-II + VLB singlet scenario. To illustrate the exclusion sensitivity in physical parameter planes, we select a benchmark configuration and project the constraints onto the (mB,tan β) plane in the left panel and the branching… view at source ↗

**Figure 3.** Figure 3: The left panel shows the exclusion contours in the [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p011_3.png] view at source ↗

**Figure 4.** Figure 4: Distributions of BR(B → W t) vs. BR(B → H−t) for the VLB singlet scenario. Colorcoded by: ΓB/mB (top left), mB (top right), tan β (bottom left), and mH± (bottom right). Red dashed contours denote the observed mB limits. Parameter BP1 BP2 BP3 BP4 BP5 2HDM-II + VLB Inputs (masses in GeV) mh 125.1 125.1 125.1 125.1 125.1 mH 354.105 543.995 486.302 427.817 445.770 mA 497.977 600.544 728.140 503.416 587.960 mH… view at source ↗

**Figure 5.** Figure 5: BR(B → H−t) vs. BR(B → W t) colored by: BR(B → Zb) (top left), BR(B → Hb) (top right), BR(B → Ab) (bottom left), and BR(B → hb) (bottom right) in the 2HDM-II + VLB singlet scenario. and can approach 100%. The same choice s u R ≪ s d R simultaneously enhances the T → Zb, T → hb, T → Hb, and T → Ab couplings. These couplings scale as s d R c d R , as summarized in Tables 5, 6, 7 and 8. The same choice of mix… view at source ↗

**Figure 6.** Figure 6: Observed 95% CL lower limit on mB in the (BR(B → hb), BR(B → Hb)) plane (left panel) and in the (BR(B → Zb), BR(B → Ab)) plane (right panel), for s u R = 0.01 and s d R = 0.1. 1000 1200 1400 1600 mB [GeV] 1 2 3 4 5 tan β s uR = 0.01, sd R = 0.1 s uR = 0.1, sd R = 0.01 −0.10 −0.05 0.00 0.05 0.10 s u R −0.10 −0.05 0.00 0.05 0.10 s dR 5% 5% 10% 10% 40% 40% 70% 70% 80% 80% 85% 85% BR(B → BSM) [%] 10 20 30 40 5… view at source ↗

**Figure 7.** Figure 7: The left panel shows exclusion contours in the [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p014_7.png] view at source ↗

**Figure 8.** Figure 8: Scatter plots of BR(B → Hb) versus BR(B → Ab) in the VLB doublet scenario (2HDMII+T B), for s u R = 0.01 and s d R = 0.1. Colour-coded by ΓB/mB (top left), mB (top right), tan β (bottom left), and BR(B → SM) (bottom right). Red dashed contours show the observed lower limits on mB. To assess the dependence of the BSM signatures on key parameters in the 2HDM-II+T B scenario, [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_f… view at source ↗

**Figure 9.** Figure 9: Parameter scan results in the 2HDM-II+BY model. The color scale indicates the mB exclusion limit. Results are shown in the (BR(B → Hb), BR(B → hb)) plane (left) and the (BR(B → Ab), BR(B → Zb)) plane (right). 1000 1200 1400 1600 mB [GeV] 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 tan β 200 400 600 800 mA [GeV] 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 1.5 1.4 1.1 95% CL observed mB limit [TeV] 200 400 600 800 m… view at source ↗

**Figure 10.** Figure 10: BR(B → BSM) distributions are shown in the (mB,tan β) plane (left), the (mA,tan β) plane (middle), and the (mH,tan β) plane (right) for the VLB within the 2HDM-II+BY scenario. The red dashed curves in the left panel denote the 95% CL exclusion, while the lower black-shaded region is excluded by the H+ → tb search [68]. The fixed parameter in the left panel is identical to that in Fig.3. In the middle and… view at source ↗

**Figure 11.** Figure 11: Scatter plots of the branching ratios BR(B → Hb) versus BR(B → Ab) within the 2HDMII+BY configuration as functions of ΓB/mB (upper left), mB (upper right), tan β (lower left), and BR(B → SM) (lower right). The red dashed lines indicate the mB exclusion limit. Parameters BP1 BP2 BP3 BP4 BP5 2HDM-II+T B inputs. Masses in GeV. mh 125.1 125.1 125.1 125.1 125.1 mH 595.676 646.236 642.342 584.065 498.466 mA 74… view at source ↗

read the original abstract

We investigate the phenomenological impact of incorporating vector-like bottom (VLB) quarks into the Type-II Two-Higgs-Doublet Model (2HDM-II). This framework introduces novel beyond-Standard-Model (BSM) decay channels $B \to Hb$, $B \to Ab$, and $B \to H^-t$, which are typically ignored by LHC pair-production searches focused on Standard Model (SM) final states ($B \to Zb$, $B \to hb$, $B \to Wt$). Our analysis reveals that these BSM pathways significantly weaken current VLB mass constraints. In the 2HDM-II alignment limit, the mass limit for a singlet $B$ shifts from approximately 1.5 TeV down to 1.34 TeV. For $(T, B)$ and $(B, Y)$ doublet configurations, the mass limits relax further to approximately 0.98 TeV, driven by the dominance of $B \to Hb$ and $B \to Ab$ decays, which can reach combined branching ratios of nearly 100\%.

Editorial analysis

A structured set of objections, weighed in public.

Desk editor's note, referee report, simulated authors' rebuttal, and a circularity audit. Tearing a paper down is the easy half of reading it; the pith above is the substance, this is the friction.

Desk Editor's Note private letter to a colleague

The paper quantifies how hidden decays weaken VLB mass limits in 2HDM-II, but the result depends on unverified zero efficiency for the new final states.

read the letter

The main point is that new decay channels for vector-like bottom quarks to heavy Higgs particles in the Type-II two-Higgs-doublet model can reduce the lower mass bounds coming from LHC searches. Specifically, the singlet B limit moves from 1.5 TeV to 1.34 TeV, while the doublet configurations drop to about 0.98 TeV when the branching ratios to the hidden modes approach 100 percent in the alignment limit. The paper does a clean job of identifying the relevant BSM decays B to Hb, B to Ab, and B to H minus t, then showing how they suppress the branching ratios to the SM final states that the searches actually target. It uses standard parameter choices for the 2HDM and produces concrete numbers for the relaxed limits. This is a straightforward phenomenological exercise that fills in a gap in the existing literature on vector-like quarks in extended Higgs sectors. The weakest part is the handling of experimental sensitivities. The relaxation comes from simply scaling the production cross section by the reduced SM branching ratio, under the idea that the new channels are invisible to current analyses. However, the heavy Higgs bosons decay into bb, tau pairs, or other particles that could still trigger the same search selections for b-jets and leptons. The paper does not appear to include a dedicated study of the acceptance for these BSM modes, so the actual weakening of the bounds may be smaller than stated. This is a real but addressable limitation rather than a fatal one. Overall, the work is for researchers scanning parameter space in 2HDM models that include vector-like quarks. It provides a targeted adjustment to mass limits that matters for LHC phenomenology. The thinking is clear and the approach follows established methods without internal contradictions. I would discuss this in a reading group to see how the efficiency question plays out. I would not cite it in my own papers unless I needed the specific numbers, but it is worth sending to peer review for a check on the overlap with existing searches.

Referee Report

2 major / 1 minor

Summary. The manuscript investigates the phenomenological impact of vector-like bottom (VLB) quarks in the Type-II Two-Higgs-Doublet Model (2HDM-II), focusing on novel BSM decay channels B → Hb, B → Ab, and B → H^- t that are typically ignored in LHC searches. It claims these channels dominate in the alignment limit with combined branching ratios near 100%, reducing the effective branching ratios to SM final states (Zb, hb, Wt) and thereby relaxing the LHC pair-production mass limits from ~1.5 TeV to 1.34 TeV for a singlet B and to ~0.98 TeV for (T,B) and (B,Y) doublet configurations.

Significance. If the central assumption of negligible experimental sensitivity to the BSM final states holds, the result is significant for VLQ phenomenology: it provides concrete, quantitative shifts in exclusion limits and highlights the need to account for extended Higgs sectors when interpreting LHC data on new fermions. The analysis relies on standard cross-section and branching-ratio calculations using external tools, yielding falsifiable predictions for how mass bounds change with tan β and heavy-Higgs masses.

major comments (2)

[Abstract and results section] Abstract and results section: the quoted mass-limit relaxations (1.5 → 1.34 TeV for singlet B; ~0.98 TeV for doublets) are obtained by scaling existing LHC pair-production limits with the reduced BR to SM modes. This scaling is load-bearing for the central claim but rests on the unquantified premise that the BSM final states from B → Hb/Ab/H±t have strictly zero efficiency in the original searches. Overlaps are possible (e.g., if H/A → bb or ττ, or H± → tb/WW), and the paper must either compute the efficiency or demonstrate why it is negligible for the parameter space considered.
[Phenomenology section] Phenomenology section: the statement that B → Hb and B → Ab can reach combined BRs of nearly 100% in the alignment limit depends on the specific values of the free parameters (heavy-Higgs masses and tan β). The manuscript should tabulate or plot the BRs and the resulting effective cross-section limits for the benchmark points that produce the quoted 1.34 TeV and 0.98 TeV numbers, so that the scaling can be reproduced.

minor comments (1)

The abstract and introduction would benefit from a brief statement of the scanned ranges for tan β and the heavy-Higgs masses to make the numerical results immediately reproducible.

Simulated Author's Rebuttal

2 responses · 0 unresolved

We thank the referee for the careful reading and constructive comments on our manuscript. We address each major point below and will revise the paper accordingly to strengthen the presentation of our results.

read point-by-point responses

Referee: [Abstract and results section] The quoted mass-limit relaxations are obtained by scaling existing LHC limits with reduced BR to SM modes. This rests on the unquantified premise that BSM final states from B → Hb/Ab/H±t have strictly zero efficiency. Overlaps are possible (e.g., H/A → bb or ττ), and the paper must compute the efficiency or demonstrate why it is negligible.

Authors: We acknowledge that the scaling procedure assumes negligible efficiency for the BSM channels in existing LHC searches optimized for SM final states. While a full detector-level efficiency calculation lies beyond the scope of this phenomenological study, we will add a dedicated paragraph in the results section providing qualitative arguments for why the efficiency is small: the BSM decays produce heavier Higgs bosons whose subsequent decays (e.g., H/A → bb, ττ or H± → tb) lead to distinct multi-jet or multi-lepton topologies not targeted by the SM-optimized analyses, and the alignment limit further suppresses mixing-induced overlaps. This demonstration, combined with the fact that the original searches report no sensitivity to such extended signatures, supports the validity of the scaling for the quoted parameter space. revision: partial
Referee: [Phenomenology section] The statement that B → Hb and B → Ab can reach combined BRs of nearly 100% depends on specific parameter values. The manuscript should tabulate or plot the BRs and resulting effective cross-section limits for the benchmark points producing the quoted 1.34 TeV and 0.98 TeV numbers.

Authors: We agree that explicit benchmark information will improve reproducibility. In the revised manuscript we will add a table in the phenomenology section listing the benchmark points used to obtain the quoted limits. The table will include the input parameters (m_H, m_A, m_{H±}, tan β), the branching ratios for B → Hb, B → Ab, B → H^-t and the SM modes, the combined BSM BR, the effective σ × BR to SM final states, and the resulting mass limits. We will also include a plot showing the dependence of the BSM branching ratios on tan β and the heavy Higgs masses in the alignment limit. revision: yes

Circularity Check

0 steps flagged

No significant circularity detected

full rationale

The paper computes branching ratios for the new BSM decay modes B → Hb, B → Ab, and B → H⁻t within the 2HDM-II using standard model parameters and external simulation tools, then rescales published LHC pair-production limits by the reduced branching ratio to SM final states (Zb, hb, Wt). This rescaling relies on an explicit external assumption of zero experimental efficiency for the BSM final states rather than any equation internal to the paper that defines the output in terms of its own inputs. No self-definitional loops, fitted parameters renamed as predictions, or load-bearing self-citations appear in the derivation; the numerical shifts (1.5 → 1.34 TeV, ~0.98 TeV) are direct consequences of the stated BR values and the external experimental bounds.

Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger

2 free parameters · 2 axioms · 1 invented entities

The central claim depends on the 2HDM-II framework, alignment limit, and existence of VLB quarks in singlet or doublet representations. Higgs-sector parameters control the branching ratios but are not numerically fixed in the abstract.

free parameters (2)

Heavy Higgs masses (H, A, H^-)
Masses of the additional Higgs bosons determine the kinematic availability and branching ratios of the new decay channels.
tan beta
Ratio of vacuum expectation values that controls the couplings of the heavy Higgs states to the VLB quarks.

axioms (2)

domain assumption Type-II 2HDM with alignment limit where the lightest CP-even Higgs is SM-like at 125 GeV
Invoked to set the Higgs sector and suppress certain couplings while allowing the new decays.
domain assumption VLB quarks appear as singlets or doublets with the stated quantum numbers
Defines the possible representations (T,B) and (B,Y) doublets and singlet B.

invented entities (1)

Vector-like bottom quark B no independent evidence
purpose: New BSM fermion whose decays are reinterpreted in the presence of extra Higgs states
The central object of study; no independent evidence or falsifiable prediction outside the model is supplied in the abstract.

pith-pipeline@v0.9.0 · 5521 in / 1696 out tokens · 56681 ms · 2026-05-10T18:10:34.663738+00:00 · methodology

discussion (0)

Lean theorems connected to this paper

Citations machine-checked in the Pith Canon. Every link opens the source theorem in the public Lean library.

IndisputableMonolith/Cost/FunctionalEquation.lean washburn_uniqueness_aczel unclear

?

unclear
Relation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.

BRBSM ≡ BR(B→Hb) + BR(B→Ab) + BR(B→H−t); BRSM = 1−BRBSM; inclusive BR rescaling Binc_i = BRi(2−BRi)
IndisputableMonolith/Foundation/RealityFromDistinction.lean reality_from_one_distinction unclear

?

unclear
Relation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.

Recast limits relax from 1.5 TeV to 0.98 TeV for doublet cases when BRBSM ≳ 0.89

What do these tags mean?

matches: The paper's claim is directly supported by a theorem in the formal canon.
supports: The theorem supports part of the paper's argument, but the paper may add assumptions or extra steps.
extends: The paper goes beyond the formal theorem; the theorem is a base layer rather than the whole result.
uses: The paper appears to rely on the theorem as machinery.
contradicts: The paper's claim conflicts with a theorem or certificate in the canon.
unclear: Pith found a possible connection, but the passage is too broad, indirect, or ambiguous to say the theorem truly supports the claim.

Reference graph

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