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When direct detection constrains reheating temperature: Freeze-in with stronger couplings and inflaton-seeded freeze-in

X. Bertou, O. Deligny, M. Gross, Y. Mambrini, and I. Mellouki

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Phys. Rev. D 114, 075013 – Published 9 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/qcx4-9x8t

Abstract

Recent results from the DAMIC-M and PandaX collaborations have excluded the standard freeze-in production of dark matter for masses in the range 3  MeV≲mχ≲1  GeV in the context of extensions of the Standard Model featuring an additional ultralight U(1)X gauge boson. In this work, we analyze the constraints induced by DAMIC-M and PandaX results on the reheating temperature in freeze-in models at stronger coupling, or when a nonthermal source (such as inflaton decay) comes into play. We identify viable scenarios in which the DM relic abundance is correctly reproduced while evading current experimental bounds on the electron-scattering cross section, σ¯e. In particular, we show that for reheating temperatures below the electroweak scale, Boltzmann-suppressed production can be compensated by stronger couplings, bringing freeze-in scenarios within present experimental reach. Finally, we study a hybrid scenario in which a small branching ratio of inflaton decay seeds a nonzero initial dark-matter abundance. We show that such contributions can significantly modify freeze-in predictions across broad regions of parameter space, offering an additional pathway for probing extremely feeble interactions.

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Phys. Rev. D 114, 075013– Published 9 October, 2026
  • Received 22 June 2026
  • Accepted 17 August 2026
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