Contributor info: Dr Marco Zaro

Christian Biello, Alessandro Gavardi, Rebecca von Kuk, Matthew A. Lim, Stefano Manzoni, Elena Mazzeo, Javier Mazzitelli, Aparna Sankar, Michael Spira, Frank J. Tackmann, Marius Wiesemann, Giulia Zanderighi, Marco Zaro

SciPost Phys. Comm. Rep. 18 (2026) · published 4 February 2026 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We present new state-of-the-art predictions for Standard Model Higgs boson production in association with a bottom-quark pair ($b\bar bH$). Updated cross sections are computed in accordance with the recommendations of the LHC Higgs Working Group, including the use of the PDF4LHC21 set of parton distribution functions, with a center-of-mass energy of 13.6 TeV. For the total inclusive cross section, we provide matched predictions of the massless five-flavour scheme (5FS) and the massive four-flavour scheme (4FS) at the fixed-order level. We further present recently obtained simulations matched with parton showers in both flavour schemes within the SM, and also discuss them in the context of potential BSM scenarios. In the massless scheme, we compare different NNLO+PS predictions obtained through the MiNNLOPS and GENEVA generators. In addition, the role of 4FS predictions is studied as a background to $HH$ searches, considering both the top-quark and bottom-quark Yukawa contributions to $b\bar bH$ production. Finally, we analyse the sensitivity of the Higgs transverse momentum spectrum to light-quark Yukawa couplings in the diphoton decay channel based on MiNNLOPS simulations.

Gaetano Barone, Jiayi Chen, Stephane Cooperstein, Nikita Dolganov, Silvia Ferrario Ravasio, Yacine Haddad, Stefan Höche, Barbara Jäger, Alexander Karlberg, Alexander Mück, Mathieu Pellen, Christian T. Preuss, Daniel Reichelt, Simon Reinhardt, Marco Zaro

SciPost Phys. Comm. Rep. 13 (2025) · published 5 November 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

In this article, we summarise the recent experimental measurements and theoretical work on Higgs boson production via vector-boson fusion at the LHC. Along with this, we provide state-of-the-art predictions at fixed order as well as with parton-shower corrections within the Standard Model at $13.6\,\text{TeV}$. The results are presented in the form of multi-differential distributions as well as in the Simplified Template Cross Section bins. All materials and outputs of this study are available on public repositories. Finally, following findings in the literature, recommendations are made to estimate theoretical uncertainties related to parton-shower corrections.

Roger Balsach, Alessandro Broggio, Simone Devoto, Andrea Ferroglia, Rikkert Frederix, Massimiliano Grazzini, Stefan Kallweit, Anna Kulesza, Javier Mazzitelli, Leszek Motyka, Davide Pagani, Benjamin D. Pecjak, Chiara Savoini, Tomasz Stebel, Malgorzata Worek, Marco Zaro

SciPost Phys. Comm. Rep. 10 (2025) · published 13 August 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We present new, state-of-the-art predictions for the associated production of the SM Higgs boson with top quarks, computed in accordance with the recommendations of the LHC Higgs Working Group. The NNLO QCD predictions, derived through suitable approximations of the two-loop virtual contribution, are supplemented with soft-gluon resummation up to NNLL accuracy. Two distinct resummation frameworks are employed – one based on direct QCD and the other on soft-collinear effective theory – and their features are compared in detail. These results are further combined with the complete-NLO corrections, yielding the most precise SM predictions for this process to date. The relevant sources of theoretical uncertainties are thoroughly estimated and discussed.