Exclusive rare Higgs decays into lepton pair and light mesons

Exclusive rare Higgs decays into lepton pair plus one light hadron, such as h -> rho(0)(omega)l (l) over bar, h -> pi(0)l (l) over bar, h -> pi(+) (K+)l(-)(nu) over bar (l), and h -> rho(+) (K*(+))l(-)(nu) over bar (l), have been explored in the standard model. Decay amplitudes are dominantly from the Higgs couplings to gauge bosons and to charged leptons, and their branching ratios are predicted in the range of 10(-8) similar to 10(-5). We have also analyzed the differential dilepton invariant mass and angular distributions of h -> rho(0)l(+)l(-) decays. It will be challenging to search for these rare processes. Nevertheless, experimental studies of them, in particular, h -> rho(0)l+l(-) with l = e, mu, might be interesting both to help deepen our understanding of the standard model and to probe new physics beyond the standard model in the future high-precision experiments. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

Exclusive rare Higgs decays into lepton pair plus one light hadron, such as h -> rho(0)(omega)l (l) over bar, have been explored in the standard model. The branching ratios are predicted in the range of 10^(-8) to 10^(-5), making it challenging to search for these processes. Experimental studies may help deepen our understanding of the standard model and probe new physics beyond it in future high-precision experiments.