The processes gamma gamma to Z H in SM and MSSM
Abstract
The process gamma gamma to ZH first arises at the 1-loop level, and as such it provides remarkable tests of the structure of the electroweak Higgs sector. These tests are complementary to those in the gauge sector involving gamma gamma to gamma gamma, gamma Z, ZZ. We show that in the Standard Model (SM) where H=H_{SM}, as well as in the supersymmetric case where H=h^0, H^0 or A^0, observables exist (like e.g. the energy dependence, angular distribution, photon polarization dependence or final Z polarization) which present rather spectacular properties. Such properties involve strong threshold effects with steps, bumps or peaks, reflecting the type of Higgs and heavy quarks and chargino masses and couplings predicted by the SM and supersymmetric models.