Probing light dark scalars with future experiments

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of upcoming experiments like SHiP, FASER, and MATHUSLA to detect light dark scalar particles in the MeV-GeV range, which are coupled to the visible sector via heavy mediators, expanding the search for dark sector physics.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of light dark scalars with heavy mediators, combining effective field theory and simplified models to evaluate future experimental sensitivities.

Findings

Future experiments can probe large unexplored parameter regions.

Detection prospects are enhanced by complementary experimental approaches.

Heavy mediators can be either very heavy or relatively light, affecting detection strategies.

Abstract

We investigate a dark sector containing a pair of light non-degenerate scalar particles, with masses in the MeV-GeV range, coupled to the visible sector through heavier mediators. The heaviest dark state is long-lived, and its decays offer new testable signals. We analyze the prospects for detection with the proposed beam-dump facility SHiP, and the proposed LHC experiments FASER and MATHUSLA. Moreover, we consider bounds from the beam-dump experiment CHARM and from colliders (LEP, LHC and BaBar). We present our results both in terms of an effective field theory, where the heavy mediators have been integrated out, and of a simplified model containing a vector boson mediator, which can be heavy $\gtrsim\mathcal{O}(1)$ TeV, or light $\mathcal{O}(10)$ GeV. We show that future experiments can test large portions of the parameter space currently unexplored, and that they are complementary to future High-Luminosity LHC searches.