Probing bottom-associated production of a TeV scale scalar decaying to a top quark and dark matter at the LHC

TL;DR

This paper explores a TeV-scale scalar decaying into a top quark and dark matter at the LHC, proposing a novel search channel involving single top production with missing energy to detect such models.

Contribution

It introduces a minimal non-thermal dark matter model with specific scalar and fermion particles, and suggests a new LHC search strategy for this scenario.

Findings

Proposes a new LHC signature involving single top and missing energy.

Highlights the complementarity of this search with existing monotop searches.

Provides theoretical motivation for TeV-scale scalars linked to dark matter and baryogenesis.

Abstract

A minimal non-thermal dark matter model that can explain both the existence of dark matter and the baryon asymmetry in the universe is studied. It requires two color-triplet, iso-singlet scalars with $\mathcal{O}$(TeV) masses and a singlet Majorana fermion with a mass of $\mathcal{O}$(GeV). The fermion becomes stable and can play the role of the dark matter candidate. We consider the fermion to interact with a top quark via the exchange of QCD-charged scalar fields coupled dominantly to third generation fermions. The signature of a single top quark production associated with a bottom quark and large missing transverse momentum opens up the possibility to search for this type of model at the LHC in a way complementary to existing monotop searches.