Unifying inflation and dark matter with neutrino masses

TL;DR

This paper presents a minimal extension of the Standard Model where a gauge-invariant inflaton accounts for cosmic inflation, dark matter, and neutrino masses, linking these phenomena and predicting testable signals.

Contribution

It introduces a unified model connecting inflation, dark matter, and neutrino masses within a minimal gauge extension of the Standard Model.

Findings

Inflaton's relic abundance explains dark matter.

Inflaton self-coupling accounts for neutrino masses.

Model predicts observable signals in upcoming experiments.

Abstract

We propose a simple model where a {\it gauge invariant inflaton} is responsible for cosmic inflation and generates the seed for structure formation, while its relic {\it thermal} abundance explains the missing matter of the universe in the form of cold dark matter. The inflaton self-coupling also explains the observed neutrino masses. All the virtues can be attained in a minimal extension of the Standard Model gauge group around the TeV scale. We can also unveil these properties of an inflaton in forthcoming space and ground based experiments.