arXiv subjects

Ki-Young Choi

Publications and source records attributed to Ki-Young Choi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Dark matter production in the early Universe: beyond the thermal WIMP paradigm

Increasingly stringent limits from LHC searches for new physics, coupled with lack of convincing signals of weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) in dark matter searches, have tightly constrained many realizations of the standard paradigm of thermally produced WIMPs as cold dark matter. In this article, we review more generally both thermally and non-thermally produced dark matter (DM). One may classify DM models into two broad categories: one involving bosonic coherent motion (BCM) and the other involving WIMPs. BCM and WIMP candidates need, respectively, some approximate global symmetries and almost exact discrete symmetries. Supersymmetric axion models are highly motivated since they emerge from compelling and elegant solutions to the two fine-tuning problems of the Standard Model: the strong CP problem and the gauge hierarchy problem. We review here non-thermal relics in a general setup, but we also pay particular attention to the rich cosmological properties of various aspects of mixed SUSY/axion dark matter candidates which can involve both WIMPs and BCM in an interwoven manner. We also review briefly a panoply of alternative thermal and non-thermal DM candidates.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Phenomenology in supersymmetric neutrinophilic Higgs model with sneutrino dark matter

We study a supersymmetric neutrinophilic Higgs model with large neutrino Yukawa couplings where neutrinos are Dirac particles and the lightest right-handed (RH) sneutrino is the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) as a dark matter candidate. Neutrinophilic Higgs bosons need to be rather heavy by the precise determination of the muon decay width and dark radiation constraints for large Yukawa couplings. From the Large Hadron Collider constraints, neutrinophilic Higgsino mass need to be heavier than several hundred GeV or close to the RH sneutrino LSP mass. The latter case is interesting because the muon anomalous magnetic dipole moment can be explained with a relatively large lightest neutrino mass, if RH sneutrino mixings are appropriately fine tuned in order to avoid stringent lepton flavor violation constraints. Dark matter is explained by asymmetric RH sneutrino dark matter in the favoured region by the muon anomalous magnetic dipole moment. In other regions, RH sneutrino could be an usual WIMP dark matter.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Large tensor spectrum of BICEP2 in the natural SUSY hybrid model

The large tensor spectrum recently observed by the BICEP2 Collaboration requires a super-Planckian field variation of the inflaton in the single-field inflationary scenario. The required slow-roll parameter ε\approx 0.01 would restrict the e-folding number to around 7 in (sub-)Planckian inflationary models. To overcome such problems, we consider a two-field scenario based on the natural assisted supersymmetric (SUSY) hybrid model ("natural SUSY hybrid inflation" [1]), which combines the SUSY hybrid and the natural inflation models. The axionic inflaton field from the natural inflation sector can admit the right values for the tensor spectrum as well as a spectral index of 0.96 with a decay constant smaller than the Planck scale, f \lesssim M_P. On the other hand, the vacuum energy of 2 x 10^{16} GeV with 50 e-folds is provided by the inflaton coming from the SUSY hybrid sector, avoiding the eta problem. These are achieved by introducing both the U(1)_R and a shift symmetry, and employing the minimal Kahler potential.

hep-th↗

arXiv2014

Primordial gravitational wave of BICEP2 from dynamical double hybrid inflation

BICEP2 has observed a primordial gravitational wave corresponding to the tensor-to-scalar ratio of 0.16. It seems to require a super-Planckian inflationary model. In this paper, we propose a double hybrid inflation model, where the inflaton potential dynamically changes with the evolution of the inflaton fields. During the first phase of inflation over 7 e-folds, the power spectrum can be almost constant by a large linear term in the hybrid potential, which is responsible also for the large tensor-to-scalar ratio. In the second phase of 50 e-folds, the dominant potential becomes dynamically changed to the logarithmic form as in the ordinary supersymmetric hybrid inflation, which is performed by the second inflaton field. In this model, the sub-Planckian field values (~0.9 M_P) can still yield the correct cosmic observations with the sufficient e-folds.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

X-ray line signal from decaying axino warm dark matter

We consider axino warm dark matter in a supersymmetric axion model with R-parity violation. In this scenario, axino with the mass $m_\axino\simeq 7$ keV can decay into photon and neutrino resulting in the X-ray line signal at $3.5$ keV, which might be the origin of unidentified X-ray emissions from galaxy clusters and Andromeda galaxy detected by the XMM-Newton X-ray observatory.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Enhanced Upper Critical Fields in a New Quasi-one-dimensional Superconductor Nb2PdxSe5

We report a discovery of superconductivity with Tc = 5.5 K in Nb2PdxSe5, in which one-dimensional (1D) Nb-Se chains existing along the b-direction hybridize each other to form the conducting b-c* plane. The magnetic susceptibility and specific heat data in both single- and poly-crystals show evidence of bulk superconductivity. The resistivity, Hall coefficient, and magneto-resistance data all indicate the presence of an energy scale T* = ~ 50 K, which becomes systematically lowered under hydrostatic pressure and competes with the stabilization of superconductivity. Combined with the band calculation results showing the Fermi surfaces with 1D character, we postulate that the energy scale T* is related to a formation of a density wave or a stabilization of low dimensional electronic structure. The zero temperature upper critical field, Hc2(0), of the single crystal is found to be 10.5, 35 and 22 T in the a', b and c*-directions, respectively. While the linearly increasing Hc2(T) for H // c* indicates the multi-band effect, Hc2(0) for H // b and c* are found to be much bigger than the BCS Pauli limiting field, 1.84 Tc ~ 9 T. The suppressed Pauli paramagnetic effect points to a possibility of the enhanced spin-orbit scattering related to the low dimensional electronic structure or the presence of heavy elements such as Pd.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Light Dirac right-handed sneutrino dark matter

We show that mostly right-handed Dirac sneutrino is a viable supersymmetric light dark matter candidate. While the Dirac sneutrino scattering with nuclei is dominantly through the $Z$ boson exchange and is stringently constrained by the invisible decay width of $Z$ boson, it is possible to realize a large enough cross section with nucleon to account for possible signals observed at direct dark matter searches such as CDMS II-Si or CoGeNT. Even if the XENON100 limit is taken into account, a small part of signal region for CDMS II-Si events remains outside the excluded region by XENON100.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Decaying WIMP dark matter for AMS-02 cosmic positron excess

For explaining the AMS-02 cosmic positron excess, which was recently reported, we consider a scenario of thermally produced and decaying dark matter (DM) into the standard model (SM) leptons with an extremely small decay rate, Γ_{DM} \sim 10^{-26} sec.^{-1}. Since the needed DM mass is relatively heavy (700 GeV < m_{DM} < 3000 GeV), we introduce another DM component apart from the lightest supersymmetric particle ("LSP"). For its (meta-) stability and annihilation into other particles, the new DM should be accompanied with another Z_2 symmetry apart from the R-parity. Sizable renormalizable couplings of the new DM with SM particles, which are necessary for its thermalization in the early universe, cannot destabilize the new DM because of the new Z_2 symmetry. Since the new DM was thermally produced, it can naturally explain the present energy density of the universe. The new DM can decay into the SM leptons (and the LSP) only through non-renormalizable operators suppressed by a superheavy squared mass parameter after the new symmetry is broken around TeV scale. We realize this scenario in a model of "gauged vector-like leptons," which was proposed recently for the naturalness of the Higgs boson.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Quasar polarization with two axionlike particles

Recently, it was shown, that the absence of circular polarization of visible light from quasars, severely constrains the interpretation of axion like particles (ALPs) as a solution for the generation of the linear polarization. Furthermore, the new observation of the linear polarization in the radio wavelength from quasars, similar to the earlier observation performed in the optical band, makes the ALPs scenario inconsistent with at least one of the two observations. In this study we extend this scenario, to two axion like particles, one scalar and another pseudoscalar. We find, that the effects from scalar and pseudoscalar cancel out each other, thereby suppressing the circular polarization, while preserving consistent linear polarization, as observed in both visible and radio waves bands.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Review of axino dark matter

We review the status of axino dark matter. Two hierarchy problems, the strong CP problem and the gauge hierarchy problem, have led to introducing into particle physics a spontaneously broken global Peccei-Quinn symmetry and a softly broken supersymmetry, respectively. Combining them implies the presence of not only an axion, but also of its scalar component, saxion, and their fermionic partner, axino. Among these, the axion and the axino are attractive dark matter candidates. Various possibilities for the axino as dark matter are discussed.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Vector Higgs-portal dark matter and Fermi-LAT gamma ray line

We propose a renormalizable model for vector dark matter with extra U(1) gauge symmetry, which is broken by the VEV of a complex singlet scalar. When the singlet scalar has a quartic coupling to a heavy charged scalar, the resonance effect enhances the annihilation cross section of vector dark matter into two photons such that Fermi-gamma ray line at about 130 GeV is obtained. In the presence of a tiny mixing between the singlet scalar and the Standard Model Higgs doublet, the relic density is determined dominantly by WW/ZZ and two-photon channels near the resonance pole of the singlet scalar. We also show that various phenomenological bounds coming from the Higgs to diphoton decay rate, precision data and collider searches for the charged scalar and vacuum stability are satisfied in the model.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Can Standard Model Higgs Seed the Formation of Structures in Our Universe?

We study the Standard Model Higgs field as a source for the primordial curvature perturbation, particularly in the curvaton and modulated reheating scenario. We conclude that the Higgs cannot play as a curvaton due to the small energy density when it decays, however the modulated reheating by Higgs can be a viable scenario. In the latter case, the non-Gaussianity is inevitably generated and strongly constrains the type of potential of inflaton field and Higgs-dependent interaction term. For the quadratic potential of the inflaton field with decay rate which non-linearly depends on the Higgs vacuum expectation value, the contribution of Higgs field to the primordial curvature perturbation must be less than 8%.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Dark matter asymmetry in supersymmetric Dirac leptogenesis

We discuss asymmetric or symmetric dark matter candidate in the supersymmetric Dirac leptogenesis scenario. By introducing a singlet superfield coupling to right-handed neutrinos, the overabundance problem of dark matter can be evaded and various possibilities for dark matter candidate arise. If the singlino is the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP), it becomes naturally asymmetric dark matter. On the other hand, the right-handed sneutrino is a symmetric dark matter candidate whose relic density can be determined by the usual thermal freeze-out process. The conventional neutralino or gravitino LSP can be also a dark matter candidate as its non-thermal production from the right-handed sneutrino can be controlled appropriately. In our scenario, the late-decay of heavy supersymmetric particles mainly produce the right-handed sneutrino and neutrino which is harmless to the standard prediction of the big-bang nucleosynthesis.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Dark radiation and small-scale structure problems with decaying particles

Although the standard ΛCDM model describes the cosmic microwave background radiation and the large scale structure of the Universe with great success, it has some tensions with observations in the effective number of neutrino species (dark radiation) and the number of small scale structures (overabundance problem). Here we propose a scenario which can relax these tensions by producing both dark matter and dark radiation by late decays of heavy particle. Thanks to the generation mechanism, dark matters are rather warm so that the small-scale structure problem is resolved. This scenario can be naturally realized in supersymmetric axion model, in which axions produced by saxion decays provide dark radiation, while axinos from saxion decays form warm dark matter. We identify a parameter region of supersymmetric axion model satisfying all known cosmological constraints.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Analysis of techni-dilaton as a dark matter candidate

The almost conformal dynamics of walking technicolor (TC) implies the existence of the approximate scale invariance, which breaks down spontaneously by the condensation of anti-techni and techni-fermions. According to the Goldstone theorem, a spinless, parity-even particle, called techni-dilaton (TD), then emerges at low energy. If TC exhibits an extreme walking, TD mass is parametrically much smaller than that of techni-fermions (around 1 TeV), while its decay constant is comparable to the cutoff scale of walking TC. We analyze the light, decoupled TD as a dark matter candidate and study cosmological productions of TD, both thermal and non-thermal, in the early Universe. The thermal population is governed dominantly by single TD production processes involving vertices breaking the scale symmetry, while the non-thermal population is by the vacuum misalignment and is accumulated via harmonic and coherent oscillations of misaligned classical TD fields. The non-thermal population turns out to be dominant and large enough to explain the abundance of presently observed dark matter, while the thermal population is highly suppressed due to the large TD decay constant. Several cosmological and astrophysical limits on the light, decoupled TD are examined to find that the TD mass is constrained to be in a range between 0.01 eV and 500 eV. From the combined constraints on cosmological productions and astrophysical observations, we find that the light, decoupled TD can be a good dark matter candidate with the mass around a few hundreds of eV for typical models of (extreme) walking TC. We finally mention possible designated experiments to detect the TD dark matter.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Dirac right-handed sneutrino dark matter and its signature in the gamma-ray lines

We show that a Dirac right-handed scalar neutrino can be weakly interacting massive particle in the neutrinophilic Higgs model. When the additional Higgs fields couple only to the leptonic sector through neutrino Yukawa couplings, the right number of relic density of dark matter can be obtained from thermal freeze-out of the dark matter annihilation into charged leptons and neutrinos. At present, this annihilation is suppressed by the velocity of dark matter. However one-loop annihilation cross section into $γγ$ can be larger than that of the helicity suppressed annihilation into fermions, because relevant coupling constants are different. Hence, gamma-ray line signal which might have been observed in the Fermi-LAT is also able to be explained by its annihilation.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Modulated reheating by curvaton

There might be a light scalar field during inflation which is not responsible for the accelerating inflationary expansion. Then, its quantum fluctuation is stretched during inflation. This scalar field could be a curvaton, if it decays at a late time. In addition, if the inflaton decay rate depends on the light scalar field expectation value by interactions between them, density perturbations could be generated by the quantum fluctuation of the light field when the inflaton decays. This is modulated reheating mechanism. We study curvature perturbation in models where a light scalar field does not only play a role of curvaton but also induce modulated reheating at the inflaton decay. We calculate the non-linearity parameters as well as the scalar spectral index and the tensor-to-scalar ratio. We find that there is a parameter region where non-linearity parameters are also significantly enhanced by the cancellation between the modulated effect and the curvaton contribution. For the simple quadratic potential model of both inflaton and curvaton, both tensor-to-scalar ratio and nonlinearity parameters could be simultaneously large.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Axino Cold Dark Matter Revisited

Axino arises in supersymmetric versions of axion models and is a natural candidate for cold or warm dark matter. Here we revisit axino dark matter produced thermally and non-thermally in light of recent developments. First we discuss the definition of axino relative to low energy axion one for several KSVZ and DFSZ models of the axion. Then we review and refine the computation of the dominant QCD production in order to avoid unphysical cross-sections and, depending on the model, to include production via SU(2) and U(1) interactions and Yukawa couplings.

hep-ph↗