Understand
We show that vector-like fermions can act as the dark matter candidate in the universe whilst also playing a crucial role in electroweak baryogenesis through contributing to the barrier in the one-loop thermal scalar potential.
- In order for the new fermions to give rise to a strong first order phase transition, we show that one requires rather large Yukawa couplings in the new sector, which are strongly constrained by electroweak precision tests and perturbativity.
- Strong couplings between the dark matter candidate and the Higgs boson intuitively lead to small values of the relic density and problems with dark matter direct detection bounds.
- Nevertheless, when considering the most general realisation of the model, we find regions in the parameter space that respect all current constraints and may explain both mysteries simultaneously.
Reading the bibliography…