LHC signals of the next-to-lightest scalar Higgs state of the NMSSM in the $ 4\tau$ decay channel

Abstract

We study the $a_1a_1$ and $Za_1$ decay channels of the next-to-lightest CP-even Higgs boson $h_2$ of the NMSSM at the LHC, where the $h_2$ is produced in gluon fusion. It is found that while the $h_2$ discovery is impossible through the latter channel, the former one in the $ 4\tau$ final state is a promising channel to discover the $h_2$ with masses up to around 250 GeV at the LHC. Such a discovery of the $h_2$ is mostly accompanied with a light $a_1$, which is a clear evidence for distinguishing the NMSSM from the MSSM since such a light $a_1$ is impossible in the MSSM.