arXiv subjects

Vinícius Oliveira

Publications and source records attributed to Vinícius Oliveira.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Warm fermionic dark matter from freeze-in at stronger coupling

We study warm fermionic dark matter (DM) in the framework of freeze-in at stronger coupling, in the minimal Higgs portal scenario. The reheating temperature is taken to be low, so that DM production from the Standard Model thermal bath is Boltzmann-suppressed and the DM stays out of equilibrium even for a sizeable coupling. This opens the possibility of observable signatures, in particular invisible Higgs decays. We compute the DM relic abundance including both the pre- and post-reheating contributions. We find that the fermionic DM production reaction is strongly velocity suppressed, requiring larger reheating temperatures than those obtained for scalar DM in order to reproduce the correct relic abundance. The resulting DM momentum distribution is strongly non-thermal and its shape is not captured by the common $αβγ$-parametrization. We find that the Lyman-$α$ constraint excludes DM masses below about $100 -180\,\mathrm{keV}$, depending on the reheating history.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Warm dark matter from freeze-in at stronger coupling

We study warm Higgs portal dark matter (DM) in the framework of freeze-in at stronger coupling. This scenario assumes that the Standard Model thermal bath temperature has always been relatively low, which suppresses dark matter production. As a result, a significant DM-Higgs coupling is allowed, enabling warm dark matter detection via Higgs decay at colliders. We find that the Lyman-α bound on the DM mass is particularly strong, excluding masses below 50-100 keV, depending on further details. The shape of the DM momentum distribution is highly non-thermal, with low momenta being effectively cut off, and not captured by the common αβγ-parametrization.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Sterile neutrino dark matter in conformal Majoron models

We study sterile neutrino dark matter (DM) in a classically conformal U(1)' extension of the Standard Model with three right-handed neutrinos and a Majoron-like singlet scalar that generate the observed pattern of active neutrino masses and mixing via the type-I seesaw mechanism. Working in the regime of strongly suppressed active-sterile mixing, we show that the observed DM abundance can be produced through freeze-in from feeble interactions mediated by the heavy Z' and the conformal scalar. We solve the Boltzmann equation for the nonthermal phase-space distribution and confront the scenario with Lyman-$α$ data by computing the matter power spectrum. For keV-scale sterile neutrinos we identify the viable parameter space consistent with structure-formation and X-ray bounds, including regions compatible with a tentative 3.5 keV line. If a second sterile state is long-lived, late decays can realize a two-component setup that alleviates the $S_8$ tension. In a highly fine-tuned variant of the model, the 220 PeV KM3NeT event can also be explained by invoking the decay of a superheavy sterile neutrino.

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arXiv2025

Three decades of FCNC studies in 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos: from $Z^\prime$-dominance to the alignment limit

Flavor-changing neutral current (FCNC) processes play a prominent role in the search for physics beyond the Standard Model (SM) due to their sensitivity to new physics at the TeV scale. Meson-antimeson transitions and rare meson decays provide stringent constraints on new physics through precision measurements of observables such as mass differences, CP asymmetries, and branching ratios. Extensions of the SM based on the $\text{SU}(3)_C \times \text{SU}(3)_L \times \text{U}(1)_N$ gauge group offer a compelling framework for flavor physics, as FCNC processes emerge inexorably at tree level due to the non-universal transformations of the quark families. Among its various realizations, the version incorporating right-handed neutrinos (331RHN) is the most phenomenologically viable. This review synthesizes three decades of theoretical developments in FCNC phenomenology within the 331RHN model, from early $Z^\prime$-dominated studies to the recent recognition of the decisive role played by the SM-like Higgs boson and the identification of the alignment limit. We demonstrate that viable parameter space spans orders of magnitude, from $m_{Z^\prime} \sim$ a few hundred GeV to $\sim 100$ TeV, depending critically on quark mixing parametrizations and scalar alignment configurations, with significant implications for experimental searches at current and future colliders.

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arXiv2025

Type-II Seesaw Mechanism for Dirac Neutrinos and its Implications on $N_{\text{eff}}$ and Lepton Flavor Violation in a 3-3-1 model

In this study, we implement the type-II seesaw mechanism for Dirac neutrino masses within the framework of a 3-3-1 model. To this end, we introduce a scalar sextet and impose both lepton number conservation and invariance under a discrete $Z_2$ symmetry in the Lagrangian. This mechanism naturally generates small Dirac neutrino masses by allowing the soft breaking of the $Z_2$ symmetry through a unique term in the scalar potential, while preserving lepton number. Specifically, we explore the realization of this model at low-energy scales. Regarding flavor implications, we analyze its contributions to the rare decay processes $μ\to e γ$ and $μ\to \bar e ee$. In the cosmological context, we analyze the influence of right-handed neutrinos on the effective number of neutrino species, $N_\text{eff}$, through interactions mediated by the $Z^{\prime}$ boson. Our findings establish a lower bound of $m_{Z^{\prime}} > 4.4$ TeV, which slightly exceeds the current lower limit set by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

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arXiv2024

Invisible Higgs decay from dark matter freeze-in at stronger coupling

We study the Higgs boson decay into dark matter (DM) in the framework of freeze-in at stronger coupling. Even though the Higgs-DM coupling is significant, up to order one, DM does not thermalize due to the Boltzmann suppression of its production at low temperatures. We find that this mechanism leads to observable Higgs decay into invisible final states with the branching fraction of 10% and below, while producing the correct DM relic abundance. This applies to the DM masses down to the MeV scale, which requires a careful treatment of the hadronic production modes. For DM masses below the muon threshold, the Boltzmann suppression is not operative and the freeze-in nature of the production mechanism is instead guaranteed by the smallness of the electron Yukawa coupling. As a result, MeV DM with a significant coupling to the Higgs boson remains non-thermal as long as the reheating temperature does not exceed $\mathcal{O}(100)\;$MeV. Our findings indicate that there are good prospects for observing light non-thermal DM via invisible Higgs decay at the LHC and FCC.

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arXiv2024

CMB constraints on inflection-point inflation with a pseudo-scalar dark matter

In this work, we investigate the physical aspects of the inflection-point inflation scenario and assess its observational viability in light of current Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data. The model we consider encapsulates the inflaton with a pseudo-scalar (the dark matter candidate) in a complex neutral scalar singlet. The cosmological constraints on the parameters of inflation derived at a high energy scale are translated to a low energy scale by running these parameters. Ensuring the entire Lagrangian to be invariant under a $Z_3$ symmetry with the adequate transformation of the fields, the imaginary part of the singlet decouples from the other scalars of the model. We then investigate if the observational viability of inflation is also compatible with this pseudo-scalar being the dark matter component.We show that the CMB constraints on the inflationary parameters assure that the pseudo-scalar is stable and provides the correct relic dark matter abundance only when the pseudo-scalar is thermally produced.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2023

Bounds on quark mixing, $M_{Z^{\prime}}$ and $Z-Z^{\prime}$ mixing angle from flavor changing neutral processes in a 3-3-1 model

Meson and anti-meson mixing processes constitute an important source of constraints on models that give tree level contributions to flavor violating neutral processes. In electroweak $ \text{SU}(3)_\text{L} \times \text{U}(1)_N $ models, where anomaly cancellation requires that one family of quarks transforms differently from the other ones, processes involving flavor changing neutral currents gain tree level contributions mediated by gauge and scalar fields. Here, we firstly investigate the contributions of the neutral scalar that mimics the standard Higgs to the $K^0-\bar K^0$, $B^0-\bar B^0$, and $D^0-\bar D^0$ mixing processes and confront our predictions with experiments. The results will determine the quark mixing matrices $V^{u,d}_L$. In possession of this information we, next, evaluate the contributions of the neutral gauge bosons $Z^{\prime}$ and $Z$ to the $K^0-\bar K^0$, $B^0-\bar B^0$, and $D^0-\bar D^0$ processes. This realistic approach to meson transitions will provide severe bounds on $M_{ Z^{\prime}}$ and $Z-Z^{\prime}$ mixing angle.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Flavor Changing Neutral Current processes and family discrimination in 3-3-1 models

In 3-3-1 models anomaly cancellation requires that one of the three families of quarks transforms as triplet by $\text{SU}(3)_\text{L}$ with the other two transforming necessarily as anti-triplet. This is an important feature of the model because with it we explain family replication. Thus it is mandatory to discriminate which of the families will transform as triplet by $\text{SU}(3)_\text{L}$ because the main consequence of anomaly cancellation in 3-3-1 models is the arising of processes violating flavor at tree level by means of neutral currents mediated by gauge and scalar fields and each case leads to different results. In this work we consider the 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos. Among the spectrum of 3-3-1 particles that contributes to the flavor changing neutral processes, there is a pseudoscalar that may be the lightest of the 3-3-1 particles and then should give the main contribution to such processes. We then calculate its contribution to the $K^0 -\bar K^0$ mixing transition and confront it with the current experimental results. We do this for the three cases in which one of the family of quarks transforms as a triplet by $\text{SU}(3)_\text{L}$. According to our findings each case leads to different constraints on the mass of the pseudoscalar and the case in which the third family of quarks transforms as triplet seems to be the favoured one. We also obtain the most stringent bounds on the mass of the pseudoscalar of the model.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Exploring the viability of pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson as ultralight dark matter in a mass range relevant for strong gravity applications

We study a simple extension of the Standard Model featuring a dark sector with an ultralight pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson as dark matter candidate. We focus on the mass range $\mathcal{O}(10^{-20} - 10^{-10})$ eV, relevant for strong gravity applications, and explore its production and evolution in the early Universe. The model is formulated in such a way that dark matter does not couple directly to photons or other Standard Model particles avoiding some of the most stringent cosmological bounds related to axion-like particles. In this work, two different scenarios are considered depending on whether dark matter is produced in a pre-inflationary or post-inflationary regime. We also discuss the effect from emergent topological defects such as cosmic strings and domain walls, and estimate the spectrum of stochastic gravitational waves produced by their decay, enabling to test the model at current and future gravitational-wave experiments.

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arXiv2022

Pandax-4T limits on $Z^\prime$ mass in 3-3-1LHN model

The framework of the so-called 3-3-1LHN model may accommodate two different, but viable, scenarios of dark matter: one involving a heavy Dirac neutrino , $N_1$, or another having a scalar, $ϕ$, as dark matter candidate. In both cases the dark matter phenomenology, relic abundance and scattering cross section off of nuclei, is controlled by exchange of $Z^{\prime}$. We then investigate the impact on the parameter space $(M_{Z^{\prime}}\,,\,M_{(N_1\,,\, ϕ)})$ due to the recent Pandax-4T experimental result in both scenarios. First, the Pandax-4T experiment excludes scenarios with dark matter mass below $1.9$ TeV. Concerning $Z^{\prime}$, we find the lower bound $M_{Z^{\prime}}> 4.1$ TeV for the case when $N_1$ as the dark matter and $ M_{Z^{\prime}}>5.7$ TeV for the other case. This implies that the 3-3-1 symmetry is spontaneously broken above $10$ TeV scale. We also comment on the contributions to the relic abundance of processes involving flavor changing neutral current mediated by $Z^{\prime}$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

A model for mixed warm and hot right-handed neutrino dark matter

We discuss a model where a mixed warm and hot keV neutrino dark matter rises naturally. We arrange active and sterile neutrinos in the same $SU(3)_L$ multiplet, with the lightest sterile neutrino being dark matter. The other two heavy sterile neutrinos, through their out-of-equilibrium decay, contribute both to the dilution of dark matter density and its population, after freeze-out. We show that this model features all ingredients to overcome the overproduction of keV neutrino dark matter, and explore the phenomenological implications for Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and the number of relativistic degrees of freedom.

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