  In this paper we investigate the possibility of searching for the
hidden-bottom pentaquark states in photon-induced interactions at the LHC. We
consider the presence of the $P_b$ resonance in the $s$-channel of the $\gamma
p \rightarrow \Upsilon p$ reaction and estimate its contribution for the
exclusive $\Upsilon$ photoproduction in the fixed-target mode of the LHC.
Predictions for the total cross sections, rapidity and transverse momentum
distributions are derived using the STARlight Monte Carlo considering $Pb-p$,
$Pb-He$ and $Pb-Ar$ fixed-target collisions at the LHC. Our results indicate
that the presence of the $P_b$ resonance implies an enhancement in the rapidity
distribution in the kinematical range covered by the LHCb detector. We
demonstrate that the $P_b$ contribution for the $\Upsilon$ photoproduction
becomes dominant if kinematical cuts are imposed on the rapidity and transverse
momentum of the final state. These results indicate that an experimental
analysis of the $\Upsilon$ photoproduction in fixed-target collisions can
provide complementary and independent checks of the existence of these states,
and help to understand their underlying nature.
