We study production of scalar dark matter via the freeze--in mechanism in the relativistic regime, focussing on the simplest Higgs portal model. We derive the corresponding relativistic reaction rates based on the Bose--Einstein statistics taking into account the thermal mass effects as well as the change in the Higgs degrees of freedom at the electroweak phase transition. The consequent constraints on the Higgs portal coupling are obtained.
We investigate a minimal neutrino portal dark matter (DM) model where a right-handed neutrino both generates the observed neutrino masses and mediates between the SM and the dark sector, which consists of a fermion and a boson. In contrast to earlier work, we explore regions of the parameter space where DM is produced via freeze-in instead of freeze-out motivated by the small neutrino Yukawa couplings in case of $\mathcal{O} \left( \mathrm{TeV} \right)$ heavy neutrinos. \\ For a non-resonant production of DM, its energy density is independent of the DM mass. Assuming a democratic coupling stru…
We study a class of models in which the Standard Model (SM) and dark matter (DM) belong to a conformal/scale-invariant theory at high energies. Scale invariance is spontaneously broken at scale $f$, giving rise to a dilaton as the corresponding Goldstone boson. In the low energy theory, we assume that DM interacts with the SM solely through the dilaton portal, which is suppressed by the conformal breaking scale $f$. For $f\gg{\rm TeV}$, the portal interactions are extremely weak, resulting in DM not being in thermal equilibrium with the SM. Thus, ultraviolet freeze-in production of DM occurs t…
We propose a minimal model to simultaneously account for a realistic neutrino spectrum through a type-I seesaw mechanism and a viable dark matter relic density. The model is an extension of the Littlest Seesaw model in which the two right-handed neutrinos of the model are coupled to a $Z_2$-odd dark sector via right-handed neutrino portal couplings. In this model, a highly constrained and direct link between dark matter and neutrino physics is achieved by considering the freeze-in production mechanism of dark matter. We show that the neutrino Yukawa couplings which describe neutrino mass and m…
The popular freeze-out paradigm for Dark Matter (DM) production, relies on DM-baryon couplings of the order of the weak interactions. However, different search strategies for DM have failed to provide a conclusive evidence of such (non-gravitational) interactions, while greatly reducing the parameter space of many representative models. This motivates the study of alternative mechanisms for DM genesis. In the freeze-in framework, the DM is slowly populated from the thermal bath while never reaching equilibrium. In this work, we analyse in detail the possibility of producing a frozen-in DM via …
We consider the possibility that along the thermal history of the Universe, dark matter (DM) would have been created from Standard Model particles, either through a kinetic mixing portal to an extra U(1) gauge field, or through the Higgs portal. Depending solely on the DM particle mass, on the portal and on the DM hidden sector interaction, we show how the observed DM relic density can be obtained. There are four possible freeze-in/reannihilation/freeze-out regimes, which together result in a simple characteristic relic density phase diagram, with the shape of a "Mesa". In the case of the kine…
The clockwork mechanism can explain interactions which are dimensionally very weak without the need for very large mass scales. We present a model in which the clockwork mechanism generates the very small Higgs portal coupling and dark matter particle mass necessary to explain cold dark matter via the freeze-in mechanism. We introduce a TeV-scale scalar clockwork sector which couples to the Standard Model via the Higgs portal. The dark matter particle is the lightest scalar of the clockwork sector. We show that the freeze-in mechanism is dominated by decay of the heavy clockwork scalars to lig…
Warm dark matter (WDM) of order keV mass may be able to resolve the disagreement between structure formation in cold dark matter simulations and observations. The detailed properties of WDM will depend upon its energy distribution, in particular how it deviates from the thermal distribution usually assumed in WDM simulations. Here we focus on WDM production via the Ultra-Violet (UV) freeze-in mechanism, for the case of fermionic Higgs portal dark matter $ψ$ produced via the portal interaction $\barψψH^{\dagger}H/Λ$. We introduce a new method to simplify the computation of the non-thermal energ…
We present the conformal freeze-in (COFI) scenario for dark matter production. At high energies, the dark sector is described by a gauge theory flowing towards a Banks-Zaks fixed point, coupled to the standard model via a non-renormalizable portal interaction. At the time when the dark sector is populated in the early universe, it is described by a strongly coupled conformal field theory. As the universe cools, cosmological phase transitions in the standard model sector, either electroweak or QCD, induce conformal symmetry breaking and confinement in the dark sector. One of the resulting dark …
Sterile neutrinos are one of the leading dark matter candidates. Their masses may originate from a vacuum expectation value of a scalar field. If the sterile neutrino couplings are very small and their direct coupling to the inflaton is forbidden by the lepton number symmetry, the leading dark matter production mechanism is the freeze-in scenario. We study this possibility in the neutrino mass range up to 1 GeV, taking into account relativistic production rates based on the Bose-Einstein statistics, thermal masses and phase transition effects. The specifics of the production mechanism and the …
We consider the thermal effects into the evaluation of the dark matter production process. With the assistance of the right handed neutrinos, the freeze-in massive particle dark matter production history can be modified by the two-step phase transitions. The kinematic of decay/inverse decay or annihilation processes can be affected by the finite temperature effects as the Universe cools down. The history of the symmetry respected by the model can be revealed by the DM relic abundance evolution processes. The strong first order electroweak phase transition generated gravitational waves can be p…
We consider a consistent extension of the SIMP models with dark mesons by including a dark U(1)_D gauge symmetry. Dark matter density is determined by a thermal freeze-out of the $3\to2$ self-annihilation process, thanks to the Wess-Zumino-Witten term. In the presence of a gauge kinetic mixing between the dark photon and the SM hypercharge gauge boson, dark mesons can undergo a sufficient scattering off the Standard Model particles and keep in kinetic equilibrium until freeze-out in this SIMP scenario. Taking the SU(N_f)xSU(N_f)/SU(N_f) flavor symmetry under the SU(N_c) confining group, we sho…
The clockwork mechanism allows extremely weak interactions and small mass scales to be understood in terms of the structure of a theory. A natural application of the clockwork mechanism is to the freeze-in mechanism for dark matter production. Here we consider a Higgs portal freeze-in dark matter model based on a scalar clockwork sector with a mass scale which is less than the Higgs boson mass. The dark matter scalar is the lightest scalar of the clockwork sector. Freeze-in dark matter is produced by the decay of thermal Higgs bosons to the clockwork dark matter scalars. We show that the mass …
We propose a scenario where dark matter (DM) can be generated non-thermally due to the presence of a light Dirac neutrino portal between the standard model (SM) and dark sector particles. The SM is minimally extended by three right handed neutrinos ($ν_R$), a Dirac fermion DM candidate ($ψ$) and a complex scalar ($ϕ$), transforming non-trivially under an unbroken $\mathbb{Z}_4$ symmetry while being singlets under the SM gauge group. While DM and $ν_R$ couplings are considered to be tiny in order to be in the non-thermal or freeze-in regime, $ϕ$ can be produced either thermally or non-thermally…
KEK Theory Center, IPNS, KEK（高能加速器研究机构理论中心，粒子核物理研究部）；Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI（综合研究大学院大学高等研究院）；Department of Physics, The University of Osaka（大阪大学物理学系）
We argue that extensions of the SM with a warped extra dimension, together with a new $\mathbb{Z}_2$-odd scalar singlet, provide a natural explanation not only for the hierarchy problem but also for the nature of fermion bulk masses and the observed dark matter relic abundance. In particular, the Kaluza-Klein excitations of the new scalar particle, which is required to naturally obtain fermion bulk masses through Yukawa-like interactions, can be the leading portal to any fermion propagating into the bulk of the extra dimension and playing the role of dark matter. Moreover, such scalar excitati…
Analyzing the neutrino Yukawa effect in the freeze-out process of a generic dark matter candidate with right-handed neutrino portal, we identify the parameter regions satisfying the observed dark matter relic density as well as the current Fermi-LAT and H.E.S.S. limits and the future CTA reach on gamma-ray signals. In this scenario the dark matter couples to the Higgs boson at one-loop level and thus could be detected by spin-independent nucleonic scattering for a reasonable range of the relevant parameters.
We consider a Dirac singlet fermion as thermal dark matter for explaining the X-ray line in the context of a supersymmetric Higgs-portal model or a generalized Dirac NMSSM. The Dirac singlet fermion gets a mass splitting due to their Yukawa couplings to two Higgs doublets and their superpartners, Higgsinos, after electroweak symmetry breaking. We show that a correct relic density can be obtained from thermal freeze-out, due to the co-annihilation with Higgsinos for the same Yukawa couplings. We discuss the phenomenology of the Higgsinos in this model such as displaced vertices at the LHC.
We explore the neutrino portal dark matter (DM) at its minimum of field content having two dark sector particles coupled to a right-handed neutrino. Assuming the feeble nature of their interactions with the standard model (SM) particles, we analyze the freeze-in production of the observed DM relic density characterized by three different categories depending on the major production mechanisms. The portal provides interesting signatures at the neutrino detectors like KamLAND, Super-Kamiokande and IceCube, from a very late decay of the scalar DM to the fermion DM and the SM neutrino. Such neutri…
We study a vector dark matter (VDM) model in which the dark sector couples to the Standard Model sector via a Higgs portal. If the portal coupling is small enough the VDM can be produced via the freeze-in mechanism. It turns out that the electroweak phase transition have a substantial impact on the prediction of the VDM relic density. We further assume that the dark Higgs boson which gives the VDM mass is so light that it can induce strong VDM self-interactions and solve the small-scale structure problems of the Universe. As illustrated by the latest LUX data, the extreme smallness of the Higg…
The out-of-equilibrium production of dark matter (DM) from standard model (SM) species in the early universe (freeze-in mechanism) is expected in many scenarios in which very heavy beyond the SM fields act as mediators. In this conference, I have talked about the freeze-in of scalar, fermionic and vector DM though the exchange of moduli fields \cite{chowdhury_moduli_2019}, which are in the low-energy spectrum of many extra-dimensions and string theory frameworks. We have shown that the high-temperature dependencies of the production rate densities in this model, as well as the possibility of h…
Motivated by the fact that the origin of tiny Dirac neutrino masses via the standard model Higgs field and non-thermal dark matter populating the Universe via freeze-in mechanism require tiny dimensionless couplings of similar order of magnitudes $(\sim 10^{-12})$, we propose a framework that can dynamically generate such couplings in a unified manner. Adopting a flavour symmetric approach based on $A_4$ group, we construct a model where Dirac neutrino coupling to the standard model Higgs and dark matter coupling to its mother particle occur at dimension six level involving the same flavon fie…
A classically scale-invariant scalar singlet can be a MeV-scale dark matter, with a feeble Higgs portal coupling at $\mathcal{O}(10^{-10})$. Besides, an $\mathcal{O}(0.1)$ self-interaction coupling could further serve to alleviate the small-scale problems in the Universe. We show that, such a dark matter candidate can naturally arise in the warped extra dimension, with the huge span of parameter space predicted well within $\mathcal{O}(1)$ fundamental parameters.
We explore a simple extension to the Standard Model containing two gauge singlets: a Dirac fermion and a real pseudoscalar. In some regions of the parameter space both singlets are stable without the necessity of additional symmetries, then becoming a possible two-component dark matter model. We study the relic abundance production via freeze-out, with the latter determined by annihilations, conversions and semi-annihilations. Experimental constraints from invisible Higgs decay, dark matter relic abundance and direct/indirect detection are studied. We found three viable regions of the paramete…
One loop correction to the dark matter (DM) annihilation cross section is usually assumed to be sub-dominate in calculating the DM relic density. In this paper, we propose a scenario where DM freezes out mainly via loops in the neutrino portal. For a scalar DM annihilating into neutrino via a triangle diagram, or a Majorana DM annihilating into neutrino via a box diagram, the observed DM relic density can be generated if the mediator is Majorana fermion. We further work out the neutrino Debye mass and neutrino oscillation probabilities in the dark halo. Numerical results show that impactions o…
We show that moduli fields as mediators between the Standard Model and the dark sector can naturally lead to the observed relic abundance. Indeed, even if moduli are very massive, the nature of their couplings with matter and gauge fields allows producing a sufficiently large amount of dark matter in the early Universe through the freeze-in mechanism. Moreover, the complex nature of the moduli fields whose real and imaginary part couple differently to the thermal bath gives an interesting and unusual phenomenology compared to other freeze-in models of that type.
Dark matter (DM) is added to the Froggatt-Nielsen (FN) mechanism, and conditions for its successful freezeout identified. Requesting the FN scale $Λ_{\text{FN}}$ to be the cutoff of the theory renders freezeout scenarios surprisingly few. Fermionic DM is typically charged under $U(1)_{\text{FN}}$, with the dominant annihilation channel a CP-even flavon + CP-odd flavon. A minimal case is when the DM-flavon coupling strength is $\mathcal{O}(1)$, with several implications: (1) the DM mass is $\mathcal{O}$(100 GeV - 1 TeV), thanks to the WIMP coincidence, (2) requiring perturbativity of couplings …
We present an interesting Higgs portal model where an axion-like particle (ALP) couples to the Standard Model sector only via the Higgs field. The ALP becomes stable due to CP invariance and turns out to be a natural candidate for freeze-in dark matter because its properties are controlled by the perturbative ALP shift symmetry. The portal coupling can be generated non-perturbatively by a hidden confining gauge sector, or radiatively by new leptons charged under the ALP shift symmetry. Such UV completions generally involve a CP violating phase, which makes the ALP unstable and decay through mi…
We fully explore the thermal freezeout histories of a vector-portal dark matter model, in the region of parameter space in which the ratio of masses of the dark photon $A^{\prime}$ and dark matter $χ$ is in the range $1 \lesssim m_{A^{\prime}}/m_χ \lesssim 2$. In this region $2 \rightarrow 2$ and $3 \rightarrow 2$ annihilation processes within the dark sector, as well as processes that transfer energy between the dark sector and the Standard Model, play important roles in controlling the thermal freezeout of the dark matter. We carefully track the temperatures of all species, relaxing the assu…
We study production of dark matter (DM) in models with a non-standard expansion history. We consider both freeze-out and freeze-in mechanisms for producing the observed DM abundance in a model where the DM consists of scalar singlet particles coupled to the Standard Model sector via the Higgs portal. We show that a non-standard expansion phase can lead to a significant change in the DM abundance and therefore to observational ramifications. For example, for DM freeze-in the required portal coupling can be much larger, whereas for DM freeze-out much smaller values become allowed. We evaluate th…
In an earlier work, we showed that in very simple neutrino portal-like extensions of the Standard Model it is possible to achieve a one-to-one correspondence between dark matter physics and the seesaw parameters controlling the genesis of neutrino masses. Notably, this can occur both when the dark matter is produced via freeze-in and relativistic freeze-out. In this article, we carry out a detailed phenomenological study of such scenarios. Specifically, we find the allowed regions for the neutrino portal coupling within which the correspondence is valid. We further constrain the parameter spac…
We propose a new portal coupling to dark matter by taking advantage of the nonminimally coupled portal sector to the Ricci scalar. Such a portal sector conformally induces couplings to the trace of the energy-momentum tensor of matters including highly secluded dark matter particles. The portal coupling is so feeble that dark matter is produced by freeze-in processes of scatterings and/or the decay of the mediator. We consider two concrete realizations of the portal: conformally induced Higgs portal and conformally induced mediator portal. The former case is compatible with the Higgs inflation…
In this conference, I have talked about two scenarios in which the out-of-equilibrium production of dark matter (DM) particles in the early universe is unavoidable. In the first one \cite{bhattacharyya_freezing-dark_2018}, we extend the standard model (SM) of particle physics by an extra $U(1)$ gauge group under which all the SM particles are neutral. We then consider DM candidates interacting only with the new spin-1 gauge boson, a heavy $Z^\prime$. We assume the presence of heavy beyond the SM fermions charged under both extra $U(1)$ and SM $SU(3)_c$, allowing for a feeble connection between…
We review predictions and constraints for nuclear recoil signals from Higgs portal dark matter under the assumption of standard thermal creation from freeze-out. Thermally created scalar and vector Higgs portal dark matter masses are constrained to be in the resonance region near half the Higgs mass or above several TeV. The resonance region for these models will be tested by XENONnT and LZ. The full mass range up to the unitarity limit can be tested by DarkSide-20k and DARWIN. Fermionic Higgs portal dark matter with a pure CP odd coupling is constrained by the Higgs decay width, but has stron…
We propose a novel scenario of Dark Matter production naturally connected with generation of gravitational waves. Dark Matter is modelled as a real scalar, which interacts with the hot primordial plasma through a portal coupling to another scalar field. For a particular sign of the coupling, this system exhibits an inverse second order phase transition. The latter leads to an abundant Dark Matter production, even if the portal interaction is so weak that the freeze-in mechanism is inefficient. The model predicts domain wall formation in the Universe, long time before the inverse phase transiti…
