The Higgs boson of the Standard Model

An introduction is made to the key concepts of gauge invariance and spontaneous symmetry breaking which are the foundations of the Standard Model of particle physics. A new scalar field corresponding to a spin-0 particle, the Higgs boson, is a necessary consequence of this model. Properties of the Higgs boson are constrained; however, its mass is not. Searches using LEP have been both unique, intense, and also efficient: the Standard Model Higgs boson must be heavier than 114 GeV / c 2 . A hint of a signal was obtained at 115 GeV / c 2 , but will have to be confirmed (or falsified) by forthcoming experiments at the Tevatron and LHC. To cite this article: M. Davier, C. R. Physique 8 (2007).