Title: Expanding the discovery reach at the LHC, using Vector Boson Fusion.

Abstract:

The use of Vector Boson Fusion (VBF) at the LHC has proven to be an interesting technique to expand the sensitivity of SUSY searches, in the so called compressed mass spectra regions (CMSR). In some theoretical models, the CMSR are important to obtain a consistent relic dark matter density, with respect to cosmological predictions. Nevertheless, VBF can also be used to probe a broad set interesting models associated with the production of Z’ bosons, heavy neutrinos, gravitons, axions, among others. In this seminar, some experimental results that motivate the use of VBF will be presented, as well as several phenomenological studies on its potential to search for new physics at the LHC.