Flavor-changing scalar interactions

Standard model on a D-brane

We present a consistent string theory model which produces a simple extension of the standard model, consisting of a D3-brane at a simple orbifold singularity. We envision this as a local singularity within a warped compactification. The phenomenology of the model has some novel features. We note that, for the model to be viable, the scale of stringy physics must be in the multi-TeV range. There are natural hierarchies in the fermion spectrum and there are several possible experimental signatures of the model.

h --> mutau at Hadron colliders

We study the observability for a lepton flavor-changing decay of a Higgs boson h--> mutau at Hadron colliders. Flavor-changing couplings of a Higgs boson exist at tree level in models with multiple Higgs doublets. The hmutau coupling is particularly motivated by the favorable interpretation of nu(mu)-nu(tau) oscillation. We find that at the Tevatron run II the unique mutau signature could serve as the Higgs discovery channel, surpassing expectations for Higgs boson searches in the SM and in a large parameter region of the MSSM. The sensitivity will be greatly improved at the LHC, beyond the coverage at a muon collider Higgs factory.