Speaker
Description
Light exotic scalar particles, which are predicted by many BSM models, are still not excluded by the existing experimental data and theoretical constraints, provided their couplings to SM states are small. Many search strategies have been considered, which either make use of a specific decay channel of the scalar or are independent of the decay. One of the promising search channels is $S\rightarrow b\bar{b}$ decay since it is expected to have a sizeable branching ratio in most BSM scenarios. Using the ILD detector concept, cross section limits have been obtained in the bb decay channel for a wide range of scalar masses, for a future Higgs factory running at 250 GeV and 550 GeV center-of-mass energies. The study is based on the large samples of SM background processes from Geant4 full simulation and SGV fast simulation produced within the ILD study group. The ILC running scenario was assumed for the study, however the results are relevant for other concepts of future Higgs factories as well.