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CMB test of the Higgs origin of dark-photon dark matter

Imtiaz Khan1,2,*, Salvatore Capozziello3,4,5,†, G. Mustafa1,‡, Chengxun Yuan6,§, and Farruh Atamurotov6,7,8,∥

  • *Contact author: ikhanphys1993@gmail.com
  • †Contact author: capozziello@na.infn.it
  • ‡Contact author: gmustafa3828@gmail.com
  • §Contact author: yuancx@hit.edu.cn
  • ∥Contact author: atamurotov@yahoo.com

Phys. Rev. D 114, 063547 – Published 28 September, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/4x1d-f146

Abstract

Laboratory searches determine the mass and kinetic mixing of dark-photon dark matter. Cosmic microwave background isocurvature probes how its abundance depends on inflationary initial conditions. We formulate this dependence through the logarithmic response qeff=∂lnnA′/∂lnri of the final vector number to the primordial dark-Higgs displacement. For a smooth local abundance map the separate-universe relation connects qeff to cold dark matter isocurvature. The uncorrelated Planck limit applies when the dark Higgs is a light and energetically subdominant spectator with weak inflaton mixing. In the quadratic conserved-number branch displacement-independent transfer gives qeff=2. The all-dark-matter bound then requires ri/H*>3.5×104. We calculate the dynamical map by evolving the radial mode and its tangent response through a smooth Abelian-Higgs crossover. The post-transition orbit gives the comoving action. The map contains positive, negative, and near-zero responses at finite transferred action. Tanh and error-function crossovers retain these branches. A thermal-mass profile and finite inflationary quartics shift their locations continuously. Stochastic duration and radiative stability then determine realization regions. Early symmetry breaking and momentum redshift add the remaining conditions. Low-energy measurements and the CMB response can distinguish Higgsed-vector cosmologies with identical present-day (mA′,ε) and relic abundance.

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