Phenomenology of $keV$ sterile neutrino in minimal extended seesaw

Abstract

We explore the possibility of a single generation of $keV$ scale sterile neutrino ($m_S$) as a dark matter candidate within the minimal extended seesaw (MES) framework and it's influence in neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu\beta\beta$) study. Three hierarchical right-handed neutrinos were considered to explain neutrino mass. We also address baryogenesis via the mechanism of thermal leptogenesis considering the decay of the lightest RH neutrino to a lepton and Higgs doublet. A generic model based on $A_4\times Z_4\times Z_3$ flavor symmetry is constructed to explain both normal and inverted hierarchy mass pattern of neutrinos. Significant results on effective neutrino masses are observed in presence of sterile mass ($m_S$) and active-sterile mixing ($\theta_{S}$) in $0\nu\beta\beta$. Results from $0\nu\beta\beta$ give stringent upper bounds on the active-sterile mixing matrix element. To establish sterile neutrino as dark matter within this model, we checked decay width and relic abundance of the sterile neutrino, which restricted sterile mass ($m_S$) within some definite bounds. Constrained regions on the CP-phases and Yukawa couplings are obtained from $0\nu\beta\beta$ and baryogenesis results. Co-relations among these observable are also established and discussed within this framework.