Illuminating Dark Matter at the ILC

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the potential of the International Linear Collider (ILC) to detect and study dark matter particles, especially low-mass WIMPs, using an effective field theory framework that surpasses previous analyses.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive set of effective theories for dark matter interactions at the ILC, enabling more accurate predictions beyond non-relativistic approximations.

Findings

ILC can uniquely probe dark matter below 10 GeV.

ILC is especially sensitive to leptophilic and spin-dependent dark matter models.

Enhanced theoretical framework improves detection prospects over previous studies.

Abstract

The WIMP (weakly interacting massive particle) paradigm for dark matter is currently being probed via many different experiments. Direct detection, indirect detection and collider searches are all hoping to catch a glimpse of these elusive particles. Here, we examine the potential of the ILC (International Linear Collider) to shed light on the origin of dark matter. By using an effective field theory approach we are also able to compare the reach of the ILC with that of the other searches. We find that for low mass dark matter (< 10 GeV), the ILC offers a unique opportunity to search for WIMPS beyond any other experiment. In addition, if dark matter happens to only couple to leptons or via a spin dependent interaction, the ILC can give an unrivalled window to these models. We improve on previous ILC studies by constructing a comprehensive list of effective theories that allows us to move beyond the non-relativistic approximation.