Hidden Dark Matter from Starobinsky Inflation

Abstract

The Starobinsky inflation model is one of the simplest inflation models that is consistent with the cosmic microwave background observations. In order to explain dark matter of the universe, we consider a minimal extension of the Starobinsky inflation model with introducing the dark sector which communicates with the visible sector only via the gravitational interaction. In Starobinsky inflation model, a sizable amount of dark-sector particle may be produced by the inflaton decay. Thus, a scalar, a fermion or a vector boson in the dark sector may become dark matter. We pay particular attention to the case with dark non-Abelian gauge interaction to make a dark glueball a dark matter candidate. In the minimal setup, we show that it is difficult to explain the observed dark matter abundance without conflicting observational constraints on the coldness and the self-interaction of dark matter. We propose scenarios in which the dark glueball, as well as other dark-sector particles, from the inflaton decay become viable dark matter candidates. We also discuss possibilities to test such scenarios.

Effects of gravitational particle production on Higgs portal dark matter

“…Note that in this model the inflaton decays into χ pair as ϕ → χχ, which overproduces the χ particles in general and hence we need to choose the conformal coupling ξ = 1/6 [72][73][74][75]. However, the leading contribution from the inflaton coherent oscillation ϕϕ → χχ is also cancelled out for the conformal coupling ξ = 1/6.…”