Inflaton field as self-interacting dark matter in the braneworld scenario

Abstract

A unified model is developed within the context of the braneworld paradigm, where a single scalar field can act as both the inflaton field in the very early universe and also as strong, self-interacting dark matter in the post-inflationary universe. Reheating proceeds due to the overproduction and subsequent evaporation of primordial black holes. Observational constraints, most notably from gravitational waves, are satisfied if the probability of PBH formation is sufficiently high.