Cosmological Higgs-Axion Interplay for a Naturally Small Electroweak Scale

TL;DR

This paper introduces a cosmological mechanism where Higgs and axion-like fields interact to naturally produce a small electroweak scale, predicting light axion-like particles that could serve as dark matter.

Contribution

It presents a new realization of Higgs-axion interplay that avoids detectable new physics below 10^9 GeV, with potential dark matter candidates.

Findings

No new physics signals up to 10^9 GeV

Existence of two light, weakly coupled axion-like states

One axion-like state as a dark matter candidate

Abstract

Recently, a new mechanism to generate a naturally small electroweak scale has been proposed. It exploits the coupling of the Higgs to an axion-like field and a long era in the early universe where the axion unchains a dynamical screening of the Higgs mass. We present a new realization of this idea with the new feature that it leaves no signs of new physics up to a rather large scale, 10^9 GeV, except for two very light and weakly coupled axion-like states. One of the scalars can be a viable Dark Matter candidate. Such a cosmological Higgs-axion interplay could be tested with a number of experimental strategies.