LHC Reach for Gauge Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking Models Via Prompt Photon Channels

We evaluate the supersymmetry reach of the Large Hadron Collider within the gauge-mediated low energy supersymmetry breaking framework, assuming that a neutralino is the second lightest sparticle and that it decays promptly into a gravitino which escapes detection. We find that the maximum reach is obtained via a search for inclusive $\gamma\gamma+\eslt$ events coming dominantly from chargino and neutralino production. Assuming an integrated luminosity of 10~$fb^{-1}$, we find that LHC experiments will be able to probe values of the model parameter $\Lambda \alt 400$ TeV, corresponding to $m_{\tg} \leq 2.8$ TeV. A measure of the model parameter $\Lambda$ may be possible from the photon $p_T$ spectrum.