Direct-detection constraints on inelastic dark matter with a scalar mediator
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
2026-04-17 v2
Abstract
We calculate direct detection constraints on inelastic dark matter (DM) for a scalar portal scenario with leptophilic couplings. The p-wave velocity suppression of the annihilation cross section of scalar-mediated inelastic Dirac DM implies the opening of viable regions of DM parameter space in the MeV-GeV mass range. Xenon-based experiments can provide a constraints on scalar-mediated inelastic fermion dark matter for sub-MeV mass splitting, via endothermic and exothermic spin-independent DM-electron scattering. To estimate the relevant constraints, we use public data from the XENON1T, PandaX-4T, and LZ liquid-xenon experiments that measure ionization electron signals.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2604.06929,
title = {Direct-detection constraints on inelastic dark matter with a scalar mediator},
author = {I. V. Voronchikhin and D. V. Kirpichnikov},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2604.06929},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
11 pages, 5 figures. References added