Dynamics of Self-Interacting Dark Sectors

Abstract

This thesis investigates the dynamics of self-interacting dark sectors in the early Universe populated through the freeze-in mechanism. The main focus is on scenarios with self-number-changing reactions of the form $2\leftrightarrow3$, and on how these interactions modify the thermal history and phenomenology of the dark sector. Several realizations are studied, including scalar theories with $\mathbb{Z}_2$ and $\mathbb{Z}_3$ symmetries, self-interacting dark matter coupled to an unstable mediator, and cannibal dark matter production during non-instantaneous reheating. The thermal evolution is obtained by solving coupled Boltzmann equations for the relevant number densities and temperatures, accounting for both freeze-in production and cannibal interactions. The resulting parameter space can be strongly constrained, effectively invisible, or potentially accessible to future searches, depending on the realization considered. Finally, the thesis studies a hidden U(1) gauge sector populated via freeze-in, where continuous energy injection can induce an inverse first-order phase transition and temporarily restore the symmetric phase, linking phase-transition dynamics and chemical equilibration in hidden sectors.