2-PHOTON DECAYS OF THE LIGHTEST HIGGS-BOSON OF SUPERSYMMETRY AT THE CERN LHC

We discuss the production and two-photon decay of the lightest Higgs b oson (h(0)) of the minimal supersymmetric standard model at the GERM L arge Hadron Collider (LHC). Since the observability of the signal is q uite model dependent, we conduct a thorough scan of the parameter spac e of minimal supersymmetry, including experimental and theoretical con straints. If kinematically allowed, supersymmetric decay modes of h(0) may be important, and can even dominate all others. The coupling of h (0) to b (b) over bar can be different from that of a standard model H iggs boson; this can diminish (or enhance, but only if tan beta is ver y large) the h(0) --> gamma gamma signal. We emphasize the importance of a full treatment of radiative corrections in the Higgs sector for o btaining the h(0)b (b) over bar coupling. If supersymmetric particles are not too heavy, their contributions in loops can either enhance or suppress both the production cross section and the h(0) --> gamma gamm a branching fraction. We discuss the relative importance of these fact ors in the context of various scenarios for the discovery of supersymm etry. Even if h(0) is not detected at the LHC, h(0) may still exist in its expected mass region.