We study the possibility that, after inflation,the inflaton reaches thermal equilibrium with the Standard Model thermal bath and eventually freezes out in the nonrelativistic regime. When the inflaton decay is the sole source of (nonthermal) dark matter, its relic density is automatically suppressed. We delineate parameter space leading to the correct dark matter abundance. The model allows for a significant Higgs-inflaton coupling which may lead to invisible Higgs decay into inflaton pairs at the LHC.

• Received 18 May 2022
• Accepted 15 August 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.106.043537

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Published by the American Physical Society