Higgs Boson Physics in the $s$-channel at $\mu^+\mu^-$ Colliders

Abstract

Techniques and strategies for discovering and measuring the properties of Higgs bosons via $s$-channel production at a $\mu^+\mu^-$ collider, and the associated requirements for the machine and detector, are discussed in detail. The unique feature of $s$-channel production is that, with good energy resolution, the mass, total width and partial widths of a Higgs boson can be directly measured with remarkable accuracy in most cases. For the expected machine parameters and luminosity the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson $\hsm$, with mass $\lsim 2\mw$, the light $\hl$ of the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), and the heavier MSSM Higgs bosons (the CP-odd $\ha$ and the CP-even $\hh$) can all be studied in the $s$-channel, with the heavier states accessible up to the maximal $\sqrt s$ over a large fraction of the MSSM parameter space. In addition, it may be possible to discover the $\ha$ and $\hh$ by running the collider at full energy and observing excess events in the bremsstrahlung tail at lower energy. The integrated luminosity, beam resolution and machine/detector features required to distinguish between the $\hsm$ and $\hl$ are delineated.