Update on Hidden Sectors with Dark Forces and Dark Matter

Abstract

Recently there has been much interest in hidden sectors, especially in the context of dark matter and dark forces, since they are a common feature of beyond standard model scenarios like string theory and SUSY and additionally exhibit interesting phenomenological aspects. Various laboratory experiments place limits on the so-called hidden photon and continuously further probe and constrain the parameter space; an updated overview is presented here. Furthermore, for several hidden sector models with light dark matter we study the viability with respect to the relic abundance and direct detection experiments.

4 pages, 3 figures, contribution to the proceedings of the "8th Patras Workshop on Axions, WIMPs and WISPs", Chicago USA, 18 - 22 July 2012