FCNC-induced heavy-quark events at the LHC from supersymmetry

We analyze the production and subsequent decay of the neutral Higgs bosons h equivalent to h(0,) H-0, A(0) of the MSSM into electrically neutral quark pairs of different flavors (qq' equivalent to tc. bs, depending on h) at the LHC, i.e. sigma(pp -> h -> qq'), and compare with the direct FCNC production mechanisms sigma (pp -> qq'). The cross-sections are computed in the unconstrained MSSM with minimal flavor-mixing sources and taking into account the stringent bounds from b -> s gamma. We extend the results previously found for these FCNC processes, which are singularly uncommon in the SM. Specifically, we report here on the SUSY-EW part of sigma(pp -> h - qq') and the SUSY-QCD and SUSY-EW contributions to sigma(pp -> bs). In this way, the complete map of MSSM predictions for the qq'-pairs produced at the LHC becomes available. The upshot is that the most favorable channels are: (1) the Higgs boson FCNC decays into bs, and (2) the direct production of tc pairs, both of them at the similar to 1 pb level and mediated by SUSY-QCD effects. If, however, the SUSY-QCD part is suppressed, we find a small SUSY-EW yield for sigma(pp -> h -> tc)(max) similar to 10(-4) pb but, at the same time. sigma(pp -> h -> bs)(max) similar to 0.1-1 pb, which implies a significant number (similar to 10(4)-10(5)) of bs pairs per 100 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.