Higgs boson subatomic particle
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The Higgs Boson: A Milestone in Particle Physics
Discovery of the Higgs Boson at CERN
The Higgs boson, a fundamental scalar particle, was discovered at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in 2012, marking a significant milestone in particle physics1 3 7. This discovery confirmed the existence of the Higgs mechanism, a process that imparts mass to elementary particles, including the W and Z bosons, which mediate the weak interaction1 9. The Higgs boson was found to have a mass of approximately 125 GeV, a value that intriguingly places the Standard Model vacuum near the boundary between stability and metastability1.
Higgs Boson Couplings and Interactions
Since its discovery, extensive research has focused on understanding the Higgs boson's properties and interactions, particularly its couplings with other particles. The Higgs boson interacts with gauge bosons (W and Z bosons), quarks, and leptons through Yukawa interactions, and it can also interact with itself, known as Higgs self-interaction1 7 8. Recent experiments have confirmed that the Higgs boson's couplings are consistent with the Standard Model predictions, showing a linear dependence on particle masses6.
Experimental Techniques and Measurements
The ATLAS and CMS collaborations at the LHC have employed various experimental techniques to study the Higgs boson. These include analyzing its production and decay channels, such as its decay into bottom-antibottom quark pairs and its coupling to muons1 4 7. Precision measurements of these interactions are crucial for probing the Higgs boson's properties and exploring potential physics beyond the Standard Model1 7.
Implications for Cosmology and Fundamental Physics
The Higgs boson plays a central role in several unresolved questions in cosmology and fundamental physics. Its potential connections to dark matter, dark energy, and the early Universe's phase transitions are areas of active research1 8. The Higgs potential is also significant in theories about the cosmological constant, which drives the Universe's accelerating expansion1.
Future Prospects and High-Luminosity LHC
Future experiments, particularly the High-Luminosity LHC, aim to achieve even more precise measurements of the Higgs boson's properties. These efforts are expected to provide deeper insights into the Higgs sector and its potential links to new physics1 7. The European Strategy for Particle Physics has identified the detailed study of the Higgs boson as a top priority for future collider facilities1.
Conclusion
The discovery of the Higgs boson has profoundly impacted our understanding of the fundamental forces and particles in the Universe. Ongoing and future research will continue to unravel its mysteries, potentially leading to new breakthroughs in particle physics and cosmology.
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