The fate of $$\mathbf{V}_\mathbf{1}$$ vector leptoquarks: the impact of future flavour data

Motivated by the recent experimental progress on the B-meson decay anomalies (in particular the angular observables in $$B\rightarrow K^*\mu \mu $$ B → K ∗ μ μ ), we rely on a simplified-model approach to study the prospects of vector leptoquarks in what concerns numerous flavour observables, identifying several promising decay modes which would allow to (indirectly) probe such an extension. Our findings suggest that the confirmation of the B-meson decay anomalies, in parallel with positive signals (at Belle II or LHCb) for $$\tau \rightarrow \phi \mu $$ τ → ϕ μ , $$B_{(s)}$$ B ( s ) -meson decays to $$\tau ^+ \tau ^-$$ τ + τ - and $$\tau ^+ \mu ^-$$ τ + μ - ($$\tau ^+ e^-$$ τ + e - ) final states, as well as an observation of certain charged lepton flavour violation decays (at COMET or Mu2e), would contribute to strengthen the case for this scenario. We also illustrate how the evolution of the experimental determination of $$R_{D^{(*)}}$$ R D ( ∗ ) could be instrumental in falsifying an explanation of the anomalous B-meson decay data via a vector $$V_1$$ V 1 leptoquark.

Z lepton flavour violation as a probe for new physics at future $$e^+e^-$$ colliders

In this work we assess the potential of discovering new physics by searching for lepton-flavour-violating (LFV) decays of the Z boson, $$Z\rightarrow \ell _i \ell _j$$ Z → ℓ i ℓ j , at the proposed circular $$e^+e^-$$ e + e - colliders CEPC and FCC-ee. Both projects plan to run at the Z-pole as a “Tera Z factory”, i.e., collecting $${\mathcal {O}}\left( 10^{12} \right) $$ O 10 12 Z decays. In order to discuss the discovery potential in a model-independent way, we revisit the LFV Z decays in the context of the Standard Model effective field theory and study the indirect constraints from LFV $$\mu $$ μ and $$\tau $$ τ decays on the operators that can induce $$Z\rightarrow \ell _i \ell _j$$ Z → ℓ i ℓ j . We find that, while the $$Z\rightarrow \mu e$$ Z → μ e rates are beyond the expected sensitivities, a Tera Z factory is promising for $$Z\rightarrow \tau \ell $$ Z → τ ℓ decays, probing New Physics at the same level of future low-energy LFV observables.

Constraints on coloured scalars from global fits

We consider a simple extension of the electroweak theory, incorporating one SU(2)L doublet of colour-octet scalars with Yukawa couplings satisfying the principle of minimal flavour violation. Using the HEPfit package, we perform a global fit to the available data, including all relevant theoretical constraints, and extract the current bounds on the model parameters. Coloured scalars with masses below 1.05 TeV are already excluded, provided they are not fermiophobic. The mass splittings among the different (charged and CP-even and CP-odd neutral) scalars are restricted to be smaller than 20 GeV. Moreover, for scalar masses smaller than 1.5 TeV, the Yukawa coupling of the coloured scalar multiplet to the top quark cannot exceed the one of the SM Higgs doublet by more than 80%. These conclusions are quite generic and apply in more general frameworks (without fine tunings). The theoretical requirements of perturbative unitarity and vacuum stability enforce relevant constraints on the quartic scalar potential parameters that are not yet experimentally tested.

Weak scale right-handed neutrino as pseudo-Goldstone fermion of spontaneously broken $$ \mathrm{U}{(1)}_{L_{\mu }-{L}_{\tau }} $$

Possibility of a Right-Handed (RH) neutrino being a Goldstone fermion of a spontaneously broken global U(1) symmetry in a supersymmetric theory is considered. This fermion obtains mass from the supergravity effects leading to a RH neutrino at the electroweak scale with a mass similar to the gravitino mass. A prototype model realizing this scenario contains just three gauge singlet superfields needed for the type I seesaw mechanism. Masses of the other two neutrinos are determined by the U(1) breaking scale which too can be around the electroweak scale. Light neutrinos obtain their masses in this scenario through (a) mixing with the RH neutrinos (type I seesaw), (b) mixing with neutralinos (R-parity breaking), (c) indirectly through mixing of the RH neutrinos with neutralinos, and (d) radiative corrections. All these contributions are described by the same set of a small number of underlying parameters and provide a very constrained and predictive framework for the neutrino masses which is investigated in detail for various choices of U(1) symmetries. It is found that flavour independent U(1) symmetries cannot describe neutrino masses if the soft supersymmetry breaking terms are flavour universal and one needs to consider flavour dependent symmetries. Considering a particular example of Lμ− Lτ symmetry, it is shown that viable neutrino masses and mixing can be obtained without introducing any flavour violation in the soft sector. The leptonic couplings of Majoron are worked out in the model and shown to be consistent with various laboratory, astrophysical and cosmological constraints. The neutrino data allows sizeable couplings between the RH neutrinos and Higgsinos which can be used to probe the pseudo-Goldstone fermion at colliders through its displaced decay vertex.

Lepton flavour violation in rare $$\Lambda _b$$ decays

Lepton flavour violation (LFV) naturally occurs in many new physics models, specifically in those explaining the B anomalies. While LFV has already been studied for mesonic decays, it is important to consider also baryonic decays mediated by the same quark transition. In this paper, we study LFV in the baryonic $$\Lambda _b \rightarrow \Lambda \ell _1 \ell _2$$ Λ b → Λ ℓ 1 ℓ 2 using for the first time a full basis of New Physics operators. We present expected bounds on the branching ratio in a model-independent framework and using two specific new physics models. Finally, we point out the interplay and orthogonality between the baryonic and mesonic LFV searches.

The framework for a common origin of $$\delta _{\mathrm{CKM}}$$ and $$\delta _{\mathrm{PMNS}}$$

We analyse a possible connection between CP violations in the quark and lepton sectors, parametrised by the CKM and PMNS phases. If one assumes that CP breaking arises from complex Yukawa couplings, both in the quark and lepton sectors, the above connection is not possible in general, since Yukawa couplings in the two sectors have independent flavour structures. We show that both the CKM and PMNS phases can instead be generated by a vacuum phase in a class of two Higgs doublet models, and in this case a connection may be established. This scenario requires the presence of scalar FCNC at tree level, both in the quark and lepton sectors. The appearance of these FCNC is an obstacle and a blessing. An obstacle since one has to analyse which models are able to conform to the strict experimental limits on FCNC, both in the quark and lepton sectors. A blessing, because this class of models is falsifiable since FCNC arise at a level which can be probed experimentally in the near future, specially in the processes $$\mathrm{h}\rightarrow e^\pm \tau ^\mp $$ h → e ± τ ∓ and $$t\rightarrow \mathrm{h}c$$ t → h c . The connection between CP violations in CKM and PMNS is explicitely illustrated in models with Minimal Flavour Violation.

Causality, unitarity and symmetry in effective field theory

Sum rules in effective field theories, predicated upon causality, place restrictions on scattering amplitudes mediated by effective contact interactions. Through unitarity of the S-matrix, these imply that the size of higher dimensional corrections to transition amplitudes between different states is bounded by the strength of their contributions to elastic forward scattering processes. This places fundamental limits on the extent to which hypothetical symmetries can be broken by effective interactions. All analysis is for dimension 8 operators in the forward limit. Included is a thorough derivation of all positivity bounds for a chiral fermion in SU(2) and SU(3) global symmetry representations resembling those of the Standard Model, general bounds on flavour violation, new bounds for interactions between particles of different spin, inclusion of loops of dimension 6 operators and illustration of the resulting strengthening of positivity bounds over tree-level expectations, a catalogue of supersymmetric effective interactions up to mass dimension 8 and 4 legs and the demonstration that supersymmetry unifies the positivity theorems as well as the new bounds.

Lepton flavour violating $${\Lambda }_{{b}}$$ decays in non-universal $${Z}^{\prime }$$ model

Motivated by the recent LHCb results of lepton flavour violation on $$b\rightarrow s$$ b → s and $$b\rightarrow c$$ b → c transitions we study the lepton flavour violating (LFV) baryonic decays $${\Lambda }_{b}\rightarrow {\Lambda }l_{i}^{+}l_{j}^{-}$$ Λ b → Λ l i + l j - in non-universal $$Z^{\prime }$$ Z ′ model. We discuss the two-fold decay distribution of $${\Lambda }_{b}\rightarrow {\Lambda }l_{i}^{+}l_{j}^{-}$$ Λ b → Λ l i + l j - decays in terms of transversity amplitudes. From this distribution we study the differential branching ratio and lepton side forward-backward asymmetry in new physics (NP). The predicted values of the observables are very interesting and that might emboss the footprints of NP more aesthetically.

The ScotoSinglet Model: a scalar singlet extension of the Scotogenic Model

The Scotogenic Model is one of the most minimal models to account for both neutrino masses and dark matter (DM). In this model, neutrino masses are generated at the one-loop level, and in principle, both the lightest fermion singlet and the lightest neutral component of the scalar doublet can be viable DM candidates. However, the correct DM relic abundance can only be obtained in somewhat small regions of the parameter space, as there are strong constraints stemming from lepton flavour violation, neutrino masses, electroweak precision tests and direct detection. For the case of scalar DM, a sufficiently large lepton-number-violating coupling is required, whereas for fermionic DM, coannihilations are typically necessary. In this work, we study how the new scalar singlet modifies the phenomenology of the Scotogenic Model, particularly in the case of scalar DM. We find that the new singlet modifies both the phenomenology of neutrino masses and scalar DM, and opens up a large portion of the parameter space of the original model.