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Galaxy interactions are thought to be one of the main triggers of ActiveGalactic Nuclei (AGN), especially at high luminosities, where the accreted gasmass during the AGN lifetime is substantial. Evidence for a connection betweenmergers and AGN, however, remains mixed. Possible triggering mechanisms remainparticularly poorly understood for luminous AGN, which are thought to requiretriggering by major mergers, rather than secular processes. We analyse the hostgalaxies of a sample of 20 optically and X-ray selected luminous AGN(log($L_{bol}$ [erg/s]) $>$ 45) at z $\sim$ 0.6 using HST WFC3 data in theF160W/H band. 15/20 sources have resolved host galaxies. We create a controlsample of mock AGN by matching the AGN host galaxies to a control sample ofnon-AGN galaxies. Visual signs of disturbances are found in about 25% ofsources in both the AGN hosts and control galaxies. Using both visualclassification and quantitative morphology measures, we show that the levels ofdisturbance are not enhanced when compared to a matched control sample. We findno signs that major mergers play a dominant role in triggering AGN at highluminosities, suggesting that minor mergers and secular processes dominate AGNtriggering up to the highest AGN luminosities. The upper limit on the enhancedfraction of major mergers is $\leqslant$20%. While major mergers might increasethe incidence of (luminous AGN), they are not the prevalent triggeringmechanism in the population of unobscured AGN.

Host galaxies of luminous z$\sim$0.6 quasars: Major mergers are not prevalent at the highest AGN luminosities