Vector dark matter in supercooled Higgs portal models
Mads T. Frandsen, Mattias E. Thing, Matti Heikinheimo, Kimmo Tuominen, Martin Rosenlyst
Abstract
We consider extensions of the Standard Model by a hidden sector consisting of a gauge field coupled with a scalar field. In the absence of dimensionful parameters in the tree-level potential, radiative symmetry breaking will induce the electroweak scale of the Standard Model and generate mass for the hidden sector gauge field. We consider both $U(1{)}_{\mathrm{D}}$ and $SU(2{)}_{\mathrm{D}}$ dark sector gauge groups and focus on probing the models with a combination of direct detection experiments and gravitational wave observatories. We find that recent dark matter direct detection results significantly constrain the parameter space of the models where they can account for the observed dark matter relic density via freeze-out. The gravitational wave signals originating from strongly first-order electroweak phase transition in these models can be probed in future gravitational wave observatories such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna. We show how the projected results complement direct detection experiments and can help probe parameter space near the neutrino floor of direct detection.