WIMPflation
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We propose a class of models in which a stable inflaton is produced as a thermal relic in the early universe and constitutes the dark matter. We show that inflaton annihilations can efficiently reheat the universe, and identify several examples of inflationary potentials that can accommodate all cosmic microwave background observables and in which the inflaton dark matter candidate has a weak scale mass. As a simple example, we consider annihilations that take place through a Higgs portal interaction, leading to encouraging prospects for future direct detection experiments.
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Cited by 3 Pith papers
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Inflaton Regeneration via Scalar Couplings: Generic Models and the Higgs Portal
For monomial inflationary potentials with k≥4, the inflaton regenerates from the thermal bath after reheating because its amplitude-dependent mass vanishes asymptotically.
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Irreducible Graviton Floor from Reheating
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Low-reheating scenario in dark Higgs inflation and its impact on dark photon dark matter production
A dark U(1)_D model with dark Higgs inflation and low reheating allows dark photon dark matter to achieve the observed relic density for a wider range of couplings, with inflation predictions matching Planck, BICEP/Ke...
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