Neutrino masses and mixing from milli-charged dark matter

TL;DR

This paper introduces a minimal extension to the Standard Model where neutrinos gain small Majorana masses via a one-loop process involving milli-charged particles, which also serve as dark matter candidates.

Contribution

It presents a novel radiative neutrino mass generation mechanism that does not require discrete symmetries or gauge sector expansion, linking neutrino masses to milli-charged dark matter.

Findings

Neutrinos acquire small Majorana masses through one-loop radiative processes.

The model predicts stable milli-charged particles as dark matter candidates.

Phenomenological implications of milli-charges are thoroughly analyzed.

Abstract

We propose a simple extension to the Standard Model, wherein neutrinos naturally attain small Majorana masses through a one-loop radiative mechanism featuring particles within the loops characterized by milli-charges. Unlike the conventional scotogenic model, our approach avoids imposing a discrete symmetry or expanding the gauge sector. The minuscule electric charges ensure the stability of the lightest particle within the loop as a viable dark matter candidate. Our investigation systematically scrutinizes the far-reaching phenomenological implications arising from these minuscule charges.