The inert doublet model: an archetype for dark matter

The inert doublet model (IDM), a two Higgs extension of the standard model with an unbroken Z 2 symmetry, is a simple and yet rich model of dark matter. We present a systematic analysis of the dark matter abundance and investigate the potentialities for direct and gamma indirect detection. We show that the model should be within the range of future experiments, like GLAST and ZEPLIN. The lightest stable scalar in the IDM is a perfect example, or archetype of a weakly interacting massive particle.