European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields (Jan 2024)
Searching for sbottom LSP at the LHC
Abstract
Abstract Assuming that the sbottom is the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP), we carry out an analysis of the relevant signals expected at the LHC. The discussion is established in the framework of the $$\mu \nu $$ μ ν SSM, where the presence of R-parity violating couplings involving right-handed neutrinos solves simultaneously the $$\mu $$ μ -problem and the accommodation of neutrino masses and mixing angles. The sbottoms are pair produced at the LHC, decaying to a lepton and a top quark or a neutrino and a bottom quark. The decays can be prompt or displaced, depending on the regions of the parameter space of the model. We focus the analysis on the right sbottom LSP, since the left sbottom is typically heavier than the left stop because of the D-term contribution. We compare the predictions of this scenario with ATLAS and CMS searches for prompt and long-lived particles. To analyze the parameter space we sample the $$\mu \nu $$ μ ν SSM for a right sbottom LSP, paying special attention to reproduce the current experimental data on neutrino and Higgs physics, as well as flavor observables. For displaced (prompt) decays, our results translate into lower limits on the mass of the right sbottom LSP of about 1041 GeV (1070 GeV). The largest possible value found for the decay length is about 3.5 mm.