Work

Reviving primordial black hole formation in slow first-order phase transitions

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Large curvature perturbations generated during slow first-order phase transitions are a promising source of primordial black holes. However, recent analyses suggested that the mechanism is ruled out once the density contrast and the formation threshold are evaluated in the same gauge. In this work, we show that this mechanism remains viable: after a supercooled transition, reheating can be sufficiently slow that the Universe enters an early matter-dominated era, during which even small overdensities grow and collapse into primordial black holes.

Source: Physical review. D/Physical review. D.

DOI: 10.1103/djx9-rph9

Authors: Wen-Yuan Ai, Ke-Pan Xie

Language: English

Topic: Cosmology and Gravitation Theories

Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Award: G1067844314

OpenAlex ID: W7220743492

FWCI: 4.106

Cites: 65

Cited by: 5

Related to: 10