On the Realization of WIMPflation

TL;DR

This paper explores inflation models with a stable inflaton that reheats the universe through scattering with the Higgs, resulting in high reheating temperatures and linking to scalar singlet dark matter within no-scale supergravity frameworks.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of reheating in WIMPflation models with a stable inflaton, connecting inflation, dark matter, and supergravity.

Findings

Reheating is nearly instantaneous at large coupling.

The inflaton can reach thermal equilibrium with the Standard Model.

Models can be derived from no-scale supergravity.

Abstract

We consider models for inflation with a stable inflaton. Reheating is achieved through scattering processes such as $\phi \phi \to h h$, where $h$ is the Standard Model Higgs boson. We consider the reheating process in detail and show that for a relatively large coupling (needed for the late annihilations of the inflaton during freeze-out), reheating is almost instantaneous leading to a relatively high reheating temperature. The process $\phi \phi \leftrightarrow h h$ brings the inflaton back into equilibrium, leading to a well studied scalar singlet dark matter candidate and Higgs portal model. We argue that such models can be derived from no-scale supergravity.