Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: We study the possibility that, after inflation,the inflaton reaches thermal equilibrium with the Standard Model thermal bath and eventually freezes out in the nonrelativistic regime. When the inflaton decay is the sole source of (nonthermal) dark matter, its relic density is automatically suppressed. We delineate parameter space leading to the correct dark matter abundance. The model allows for a significant Higgs-inflaton coupling which may lead to invisible Higgs decay into inflaton pairs at the LHC.
Institutions: Helsinki Institute of Physics, St Petersburg University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W3207956797