IIHE invited seminar: Photon-photon collisions at the LHC

by Dr Laurent Forthomme

Friday 28 Oct 2022, 14:00 → 15:30 Europe/Brussels

G/1-G.1.03 - J. Sacton (Building G)

Abstract: Photon-induced processes, as a subclass of the broad central exclusive processes, have been sought during the last few decades, either in laser experiments or in leptons/hadrons colliders. In this seminar, I will describe a spectrum of past, current, and future attempts to utilise this peculiar initial state in probing the fundamental nature of the Standard model of particle physics.

In particular, I will present the current theoretical frameworks, and recent experimental techniques developed to study elastic and central exclusive processes at the LHC. Furthermore, I will draw the landscape of future experimental challenges and high-potential directions where one can achieve an increased sensitivity in the short- and intermediate-term timescales.

 

Short bio: Laurent Forthomme is a research fellow at CERN, studying the production of two-photon processes and the integration of a new high-granularity calorimeter for the CMS experiment. Following a PhD in science obtained at the UCLouvain, he started his career as a postdoctoral scientist at The University of Kansas and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki before joining the EP-CMG group at CERN. He specialised in simulating photon-induced processes and participated in the joint CMS and TOTEM precision proton spectrometer (PPS) operations and analysis work.