Baryon asymmetry from dark matter decay

Abstract

We propose a novel framework where baryon asymmetry can arise due to forbidden decay of dark matter (DM) enabled by finite temperature effects in the early universe. In order to implement it in a realistic setup, we consider the DM to be a singlet Dirac fermion which acquires a dark asymmetry from a scalar field $\Phi$ via Affleck-Dine mechanism. Due to finite-temperature effects, DM can decay in the early universe into leptons and a second Higgs doublet thereby transferring a part of the dark asymmetry into lepton asymmetry with the latter getting converted into baryon asymmetry subsequently via electroweak sphalerons. DM becomes stable below a critical temperature leading to a stable relic. While the scalar field $\Phi$ can play the role of inflaton with specific predictions for inflationary parameters, the setup also remains verifiable via astrophysical as well as laboratory based observations.