We analyse the reheating in the modification of \nuMSM (Standard Model with three right handed neutrinos with masses below the electroweak scale) where the sterile neutrino providing the Dark Matter is generated in decays of the additional inflaton field. We deduce that due to rather inefficient transfer of energy from the inflaton to the Standard Model sector reheating tends to happen at very low temperature, thus providing strict bounds on the coupling between the inflaton and the Higgs particles. This in turn translates to the bound on the inflaton mass, which appears to be very light 0.1 GeV <~ m_I <~ 10 GeV, or slightly heavier then two Higgs masses 300 GeV <~ m_I <~ 1000 GeV.
We consider an extension of the nuMSM in which sterile neutrino masses originate from the VEV of a Higgs singlet phi and dark matter is produced through the decays of phi rather than through active-sterile neutrino mixing. This model, which we refer to as the nuNMSM, can readily satisfy or escape the constraints on warm dark matter from the Lyman-alpha forest and other small scale structure. However, it requires a particular hierarchy of Majorana masses and Yukawa couplings without an obvious origin. We show that the hierarchical parameters of the nuNMSM can arise from symmetries broken at or …
We analyse the process of reheating the Universe in the electroweak theory where the Higgs field plays a role of the inflaton. We estimate the maximal temperature of the Universe and fix the initial conditions for radiation-dominated phase of the Universe expansion in the framework of the Standard Model (SM) and of the nuMSM -- the minimal extension of the SM by three right-handed singlet fermions. We show that the inflationary epoch is followed by a matter dominated stage related to the Higgs field oscillations. We investigate the energy transfer from Higgs-inflaton to the SM particles and sh…
We present a comprehensive overview of an extension of the Standard Model that contains three right-handed (sterile) neutrinos with masses below the electroweak scale [the Neutrino Minimal Standard Model, (nuMSM)]. We consider the history of the Universe from the inflationary era through today and demonstrate that most of the observed phenomena beyond the Standard Model can be explained within the framework of this model. We review the mechanism of baryon asymmetry of the Universe in the nuMSM and discuss a dark matter candidate that can be warm or cold and satisfies all existing constraints. …
The inflaton condensate associated with a global symmetry can fragment into quasistable Q balls, provided the inflaton oscillations give rise to an effective equation of state with negative pressure. We study chaotic inflation with a running inflaton mass and show that, depending on the sign of the radiative mass correction, the process of fragmentation into inflatonic Q balls can actually take place even though no net charge exists. If the main decay channel of the Q ball is to fermions, the universe will be reheated slowly via surface evaporation.
We realize and study a model of hybrid inflation in the context of softly broken supersymmetry. The inflaton is taken to be a flat direction in the superfield space and, due to unsuppressed couplings, its soft supersymmetry breaking mass runs with scale. Both gauge and Yukawa couplings are taken into account and different inflationary scenarios are investigated depending on the relative strenght of the couplings and the mass spectrum.
We investigate inflation with a class of concave inflaton potentials of the form $\sim ϕ^n$ $(0<n<1)$ in the Randall-Sundrum model with an infinite extra spatial dimension. We show that this class of models is much more in good agreement with observations compared to the standard inflation. We also find the range of the five-dimensional Planck scale ($M_5$) and show that large tensor-to-scalar ratios do not eliminate small-field inflation in braneworld cosmology.
It is a longstanding desire of cosmologists, and particle physicists as well, to connect inflation to low energy physics, culminating, for instance, in what is known as Higgs inflation. The condition for the standard Higgs boson playing the role of the inflaton, and driving successfully inflation, is that it couples nonminimally with gravity. Nevertheless, cosmological constraints impose that the nonminimal coupling be large. This causes the loss of perturbative unitarity in a scale of energy far below the Planck one. Our aim in this work is to point out that inflaton potential containing a pa…
We use lattice simulations to examine the detailed dynamics of inflaton fragmentation during and after preheating in $λϕ^4$ chaotic inflation. The dynamics are qualitatively similar to preheating after $m^2 ϕ^2$ inflation, involving the exponential growth and subsequent expansion and collision of bubble-like inhomogeneities of the inflaton and other scalar fields. During this stage fluctuations of the fields become strongly non-Gaussian. In the quartic theory, the conformal nature of the theory allows us to extend our simulations to much greater times than is possible for the quadratic model. …
We propose a new realisation of hybrid inflation in supergravity where the inflaton field does not appear in the superpotential but contributes only through the Kahler potential. The scalar potential derived from an R-invariant superpotential has the same form as that of the Linde's original version. The correct magnitude of the density perturbations amplitude is found without any fine-tuning of the coupling parameter in the superpotential for an acceptable value of the fundamental energy scale of the theory. The eta-problem was also resolved in this model.
Adopting a recently proposed single-superfield framework of supergravity inflation, we consider large field inflationary models in which MSSM Higgs-like fields play the role of the inflaton. In the simplest cases, the inflaton potential has a fractional power, which is different from that of the original Higgs inflation, and it can be tested by cosmological observations in near future. We find difficulties in identifying the inflaton with the MSSM Higgses and discuss possible candidates of the inflaton.
We address an issue what kind of tuning realizes a flat potential for inflaton in supergravity. We restrict ourselves to the case that inflationary dynamics is not affected by separate supersymmetry-breaking effects, and consider examples of a single chiral superfield as an inflaton with its vacuum of the vanishing cosmological constant. The examples potentially include the cases of Polonyi field or right-handed sneutrino as an inflaton.
We consider supersymmetric inflation with the hybrid-type potential. In the absence of the symmetry that forbids Hubble-induced mass terms, the inflaton mass will be as large as the Hubble scale during inflation. We consider gravitational decay of the trigger field as the least decay mode and find that the damping caused by the dissipation can dominate the friction of the inflaton when the heavy trigger field is coupled to the inflaton. The dissipative damping provides a solution to the traditional $η$ problem without introducing additional symmetry and interactions. Considering the spatial in…
We study a leptogenesis via decays of heavy Majorana neutrinos produced non-thermally in inflaton decays. We find that this scenario is fully consistent with existing supersymmetric inflation models such as for topological or for hybrid inflation and the Froggatt-Nielsen mechanism generating hierarchies in quark and lepton mass matrices. The reheating temperature $T_R$ of inflation may be taken as low as $T_R \simeq 10^8$ GeV to avoid the cosmological gravitino problem.
We present a minimal UV complete framework to embed inflation and dark matter by extending the standard model with a singlet real scalar field (the inflaton) and a singlet fermonic field acting as dark matter. The inflaton features the most general renormalizable polynomial up to quartic order, which is flat due to the existence of a perturbed inflection-point, comfortably fitting CMB measurements. We also analyze (p)reheating by considering the Higgs production via inflaton decay. In the early universe, dark matter can be generated by the mediation of gravitons or inflatons. However, the prod…
In this talk we will discuss how inflation can be embedded within a minimal extension of the Standard Model where the inflaton carries the Standard Model charges. There is no need of an ad-hoc scalar field to be introduced in order to explain the temperature anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation, all the ingredients are present within a minimal supersymmetric Standard Model. The model is robust enough to provide a successful exit from inflation with all observed matter in the universe. This is a triumph for an inflationary paradigm which has always begged a simple question: c…
We study parametric resonant decay of inflaton field with emphasis on its physical meaning. We show that the parametric resonance is indeed an induced process, which means that the more numbers of produced particles, the more inflaton field decays. We also consider the dissipative effects of produced particles and find that the dissipation reduces the resonant decay rate of inflaton field.
We propose a realisation of 'new inflation' in supergravity (SUGRA), where the flatness of the inflaton potential is protected by a Heisenberg symmetry. Inflation can be associated with a particle physics phase transition, with the inflaton being a (D-flat) direction of Higgs fields which break some symmetry at high energies, e.g. of GUT Higgs fields or of Higgs fields for flavour symmetry breaking. This is possible since compared to a shift symmetry, which is usually used to protect a flat inflaton potential, the Heisenberg symmetry is compatible with a (gauge) non-singlet inflaton field. In …
We suggest a clockwork mechanism for a Higgs-like inflation with the non-minimal coupling term $ξϕ^2 R$. The seemingly unnatural ratio of parameters, $λ/ξ^2 \sim 10^{-10}$ of the self quartic coupling of the inflaton, $λ$, and the non-minimal coupling, $ξ$, is understood by exponential suppression of $λ$ by the clockwork mechanism, instead of a large non-minimal coupling. The portal interaction between the inflaton and the Standard Model (SM) Higgs doublet is introduced as a source of reheating and the inflaton mass. Successful realization of inflation requires that the inflaton gets a mass ar…
The flat directions LLe and udd within the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model provide all the necessary ingredients for a successful inflation with the right amplitude of the scalar density perturbations, negligible gravity waves and the spectral tilt within 2σobserved range 0.92 \leq n_s \leq 1.0. In this paper we explore the available parameter space for inflation in conjunction with a thermal cold dark matter abundance within the minimal supergravity model. Remarkably for the inflaton, which is a combination of squarks and sleptons, there is a stau-neutralino coannihilation region below …
We propose a scenario to flatten inflaton potential for a small-field slow-roll inflation from the origin. In the scenario, inflaton mass-square gets through a renormalization group running which depends on not only inflaton field but also an assisting field. Thanks to the assisting field participating in the running, initial condition for a slow-roll inflation can be set naturally, and inflaton potential can be flattened by the vacuum expectation value of the field. Applying this idea, we propose a scenario of inflation, dubbed here as \textit{assisted hilltop inflation}, which is free from t…
We show that the inflaton condensate associated with a global symmetry can fragment into quasi stable Q balls after the end of inflation, provided the inflaton oscillations give rise to an effective equation of state with negative pressure. We argue that chaotic inflation with a running inflaton mass may give rise to the desired scenario where the process of fragmentation into inflatonic Q balls can actually take place even though there is total zero charge. We show that such inflatonic Q balls will reheat the Universe to a sufficiently low temperature via surface evaporation.
Inflation, as currently understood, requires the presence of fields with very flat potentials. Supersymmetric models in which supersymmetry breaking is communicated by supergravity naturally yield such fields, but the scales are typically not suitable for obtaining both sufficient inflation and a suitable fluctuation spectrum. In the context of recent ideas about gauge mediation, there are new candidates for the inflaton. We present a simple model for slow-rollover inflation where the vacuum energy driving inflation is related to the same F-term responsible for the spectrum of supersymmetric p…
We consider the extension of the Standard Model (SM) with a light inflaton where both unitarity problem in Higgs inflation and vacuum instability problem are resolved. The linear non-minimal coupling of the inflaton to gravity leads to a significant kinetic mixing between the inflaton and the graviton such that perturbative unitarity is restored up to Planck scale. We show the correlation between unitarity scale and inflationary observables in this model and discuss how the effective Higgs inflation appears.
We consider chaotic inflation models with a pseudo-scalar field containing the general couplings to the four-form flux. The four-form mixing with the pseudo-scalar field induces a quadratic potential for inflaton while the coexisting four-form mixing with graviton generates a non-minimal gravity coupling for inflaton. The shift symmetry is respected by the derived inflaton couplings and it is broken spontaneously only by the fixed four-form flux. We discuss the success of inflationary predictions and robustness against higher order terms. Finally, the built-in reheating mechanism is also addre…
Effects caused by an additional massive scalar field interacting with an inflaton field are analyzed. Inflation is shown to have two stages, the first of which is dominant and characterized by ultraslow dynamics of the inflaton field. Constraints on the model parameters are obtained.
It has been shown that hybrid inflation may end with the formation of non-topological solitons of inflaton field. As a first step towards a fully realistic picture of the post-inflation era and reheating in supersymmetric hybrid inflation models, we study the classical scalar field equations of a supersymmetric hybrid inflation model using a semi-analytical ansatz for the spatial dependence of the fields. Using the minimal D-term inflation model as an example, the inflaton field is evolved using the full 1-loop effective potential from the slow-rolling era to the U(1)_{FI} symmetry-breaking ph…
In this paper, we consider a chaotic inflation model where the role of inflaton is played by the Higgs triplet in type II seesaw mechanism for generating the small masses of left-handed neutrinos. Leptogenesis could happen after inflation. This model is constructed without introducing supersymmetry (SUSY).
In the context of the Higgs model involving gauge and Yukawa interactions with the spontaneous gauge symmetry breaking, we consider $λϕ^4$ inflation with non-minimal gravitational coupling, where the Higgs field is identified as inflaton. Since the inflaton quartic coupling is very small, once quantum corrections through the gauge and Yukawa interactions are taken into account, the inflaton effective potential most likely becomes unstable. In order to avoid this problem, we need to impose stability conditions on the effective inflaton potential, which lead to not only non-trivial relations amo…
We propose a new inflation model in which a gauge singlet inflaton turns into the Higgs condensate after inflation. The inflationary path is characterized by a moduli space of supersymmetric vacua spanned by the inflaton and Higgs field. The inflation energy scale is related to the soft supersymmetry breaking, and the Hubble parameter during inflation is smaller than the gravitino mass. The initial condition for the successful inflation is naturally realized by the pre-inflation in which the Higgs plays a role of the waterfall field.
I study a fresh inflationary model with a scalar field nonminimally coupled to gravity. An example is examined. I find that, as larger is the value of $p$ (the power of the scale factor), smaller (but larger in its absolute value) is the necessary value of the coupling $ξ$ to the inflaton field fluctuations can satisfy a scale invariant power spectrum.
When models of new inflation are implemented in supergravity, the inflaton is a complex and not a real scalar field. As a complex scalar field has two independent components, supergravity models of new inflation are naturally two-field models. In this paper, we use the delta N formalism to analyse how the two-field behaviour modifies the usual single-field predictions. We find that the model reduces to the single-field limit if the inflaton mass term is sufficiently small. Otherwise, the imaginary inflaton component reduces the amplitude A_s and the spectral index n_s of the scalar curvature p…
We consider the conditions for the decay products of perturbative inflaton decay to thermalize. The importance of considering the full spectrum of inflaton decay products in the thermalization process is emphasized. It is shown that the delay between the end of inflaton decay and thermalization allows the thermal gravitino upper bound on the reheating temperature to be raised from 10^{8} GeV to as much as 10^{12} GeV in realistic inflation models. Requiring that thermalization occurs before nucleosynthesis imposes an upper bound on the inflaton mass as a function of the reheating temperature, …
Inflation ends with the formation of a Bose condensate of inflatons. We show that in hybrid inflation models this condensate is typically unstable with respect to spatial perturbations and can fragment to condensate lumps. The case of D-term inflation is considered as an example and it is shown that fragmentation occurs if λ> 0.2g, where λis the superpotential coupling and g is the U(1)_{FI} gauge coupling. Condensate fragmentation can result in an effective enhancement of inflaton annihilations over decays as the main mode of reheating. In the case of D-term inflation models in which the Stan…
If the initial state of the inflaton field is taken to have a thermal distribution instead of the conventional zero particle vacuum state then the curvature power spectrum gets modified by a temperature dependent factor such that the fluctuation spectrum of the microwave background radiation is enhanced at larger angles. We compare this modified cosmic microwave background spectrum with Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe data to obtain an upper bound on the temperature of the inflaton at the time our current horizon crossed the horizon during inflation. We further conclude that there must be…
We investigate the emergence of large, localized, pseudo-stable configurations (oscillons) from inflaton fragmentation at the end of inflation. We predict the number density of large oscillons, and the conditions necessary for their emergence in a class of inflationary models. Analytic estimates are provided for a 3+1 and 1+1-dimensional universe. We test our predictions with detailed numerical simulations in 1+1-dimensions. We see a zoo of oscillons emerging from the simulations, including the usual small amplitude "sech" oscillons as well as large "flat-topped" oscillons. The emergent oscill…
We construct a phenomenological model of electroweak-scale inflation that is in accordance with recent cosmic microwave background observations by WMAP, while setting the stage for a zero-temperature electroweak transition as assumed in recent models of baryogenesis. We find that the scalar spectral index especially poses tight constraints for low-scale inflation models. The inflaton-Higgs coupling leads to substantial mixing of the scalar degrees of freedom. Two types of scalar particles emerge with decay widths similar to that of the Standard Model Higgs particle.
We propose a variant scenario of spontaneous baryogenesis from asymmetric inflaton based on current-current interactions between the inflaton and matter fields with a non-zero B-L charge. When the inflaton starts to oscillate around the minimum after inflation, it may lead to excitation of a CP-odd component, which induces an effective chemical potential for the B-L number through the current-current interactions. We study concrete inflation models and show that the spontaneous baryogenesis scenario can be naturally implemented in the chaotic inflation in supergravity.
We discuss the cosmological gravitino problem in inflation models in which the inflaton potential is constructed from Kähler potential rather than superpotential: a representative model is $\overline{\text{D}3}$-induced geometric inflation. A critical ingredient in this type of models is the coupling of the inflaton and Polonyi (supersymmetry-breaking) field in the Kähler potential, which is needed to build the inflaton potential. We point out the same coupling let the inflaton dominantly decay into a pair of inflatino and gravitino causing the gravitino problem. We propose some possible solut…
It has been recently pointed out that the polarization BICEP2 results are consistent with the identification of an inflaton mass m \simeq 10^{13} GeV with the SUSY breaking scale in an MSSM with a fine-tuned SM Higgs. This identification leads to a Higgs mass m_h \simeq 126 GeV, consistent with LHC measurements. Here we propose that this naturally suggests to identify the inflaton with the heavy MSSM Higgs system. The fact that the extrapolated Higgs coupling lambda_{SM}\simeq 0 at scales below the Planck scale suggests the Higgs degrees of freedom could be associated to a Wilson line or D-bra…
Whichever could be the real theory of gravitation, the corresponding low-energy effective lagrangian will probably contain higher derivative terms. In this work we study the general conditions on those terms in order to produce enough inflation to solve some of the problems of the standard Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology in absence of any inflaton field. We apply our results to some particular scenarios where higher derivative terms appear in the effective lagrangian for gravity like those coming from graviton (two)-loops or integrating out ordinary matter (like the one present in the Sta…
We analyze in detail the perturbative decay of the inflaton oscillating about a generic form of its potential $V(ϕ) = ϕ^k$, taking into account the effects of non-instantaneous reheating. We show that evolution of the temperature as a function of the cosmological scale factor depends on the spin statistics of the final state decay products when $k > 2$. We also include the inflaton-induced mass of the final states leading to either kinematic suppression or enhancement if the final states are fermionic or bosonic respectively. We compute the maximum temperature reached after inflation, the subs…
The evolution of the inflaton field fluctuations from gauge-invariant metric fluctuations is discused. In particular, the case of a symmetric $ϕ_c$-exponential potential is analyzed.
We propose a limited class of models, describing interacting chiral multiplets with a non-minimal coupling to a vector multiplet, in curved superspace of $N=1$ supergravity. Those models are suitable for the inflationary model building in supergravity with inflaton assigned to a massive vector multiplet and spontaneous SUSY breaking in Minkowski vacuum after inflation, for any values of the inflationary parameters $n_s$ and $r$, and any scale of SUSY breaking.
We study preheating in theories where the inflaton couples derivatively to scalar and gauge fields. Such couplings may dominate in natural models of inflation, in which the flatness of the inflaton potential is related to an approximate shift symmetry of the inflaton. We compare our results with previously studied models with non-derivative couplings. For sufficiently heavy scalar matter, parametric resonance is ineffective in reheating the universe, because the couplings of the inflaton to matter are very weak. If scalar matter fields are light, derivative couplings lead to a mild long-wavele…
We propose a possibility that the inflaton potential is significantly modified after inflation due to heavy field dynamics. During inflation there may be a heavy scalar field stabilized at a value deviated from the low-energy minimum. As the heavy field moves to the low-energy minimum, the inflaton potential could be significantly modified. In extreme cases, the inflaton potential vanishes and the inflaton becomes almost massless at some time after inflation. Such transition of the inflaton potential has interesting implications for primordial density perturbations, reheating, creation of unwa…
We propose a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone inflation where twin waterfall fields coupled to the inflaton are responsible for the graceful exit from inflation by a waterfall transition. In this scenario, the $Z_2$ symmetry for the waterfall fields and the inflaton protects the inflaton potential against dangerous quantum corrections coming from the waterfall couplings. We show that there is a wide range of natural model parameters and initial conditions for a successful inflation and discuss the reheating process by the perturbative decay of the waterfall field with a $Z_2$ invariant Higgs portal. We …
There is a wide consensus on the correct dynamics of the background in loop quantum cosmology. In this article we make a systematic investigation of the duration of inflation by varying what we think to be the most important "unknowns" of the model: the way to set initial conditions, the amount of shear at the bounce and the shape of the inflaton potential.
We study reheating in $α$-attractor models of inflation in which the inflaton couples to other scalars or fermions. We show that the parameter space contains viable regions in which the inflaton couplings to radiation can be determined from the properties of CMB temperature fluctuations, in particular the spectral index. This may be the only way to measure these fundamental microphysical parameters, which shaped the universe by setting the initial temperature of the hot big bang and contain important information about the embedding of a given model of inflation into a more fundamental theory o…
Most successful models of inflation in supergravity have a shift symmetry for the inflaton and contain a stabilizer field coupled to the inflaton in a particular way. We argue that the natural interpretation of the stabilizer, from the viewpoint of the shift symmetry, is a three-form multiplet. Its coupling to the inflaton is uniquely determined by the shift symmetry and the invariance under three-form gauge transformations and has a natural string theory interpretation.
Cosmological inflation gives a natural answer for a variety of cosmological questions, including the horizon problem, the flatness problem, and others. However, inflation yields new questions relating to the flatness of the inflaton potential. Recent studies of ``little'' fields, a special class of pseudo-Goldstone bosons, have shown it is possible to protect the mass of a field while still yielding order one interactions with other fields. In this paper, we will show that ``little inflatons'' are natural candidates for the slow roll field of hybrid inflation models. We consider both supersymm…
We study radiative plateau-like inflation \& Z$_{BL}$-portal freeze-in fermionic dark matter (DM) in a minimal B-L extended model. The U(1)$_{B-L}$ Higgs, responsible for heavy neutrino masses, also drives inflation in the early universe, thanks to radiative corrections from the heavy neutrinos \& the Z$_{BL}$ gauge boson. In our benchmark choice for the U(1)$_{B-L}$ gauge coupling $g_{B-L}\sim10^{-4}$, a light Z$_{BL}$ boson can be explored by current and future lifetime frontier experiments, such as FASER and FASER 2 at the LHC, SHiP, Belle II and LHCb. For the benchmark, the Hubble scale of…
We discuss inflaton decays and reheating in no-scale Starobinsky-like models of inflation, calculating the effective equation-of-state parameter, $w$, during the epoch of inflaton decay, the reheating temperature, $T_{\rm reh}$, and the number of inflationary e-folds, $N_*$, comparing analytical approximations with numerical calculations. We then illustrate these results with applications to models based on no-scale supergravity and motivated by generic string compactifications, including scenarios where the inflaton is identified as an untwisted-sector matter field with direct Yukawa coupling…
In this paper, we investigate the parameter space in the framework of hilltop supernatural inflation in which the inflaton field can play the role of Affleck-Dine field to produce successful baryogenesis. The suitable value of reheating temperature could coincide with the reheating temperature required to produce lightest supersymmetric particle dark matter. The baryon isocurvature perturbation is shown to be negligible. We consider $p=3$, $p=4$, and $p=6$ type III hilltop inflation and discuss how to connect the models to supersymmetric theories.
We study preheating after hilltop inflation where the inflaton couples to another scalar field, e.g. a right-handed sneutrino, which provides a mechanism for generating the correct initial conditions for inflation and also a decay channel for the inflaton that allows for reheating and non-thermal leptogenesis. In the presence of such a coupling, we find that after the phases of tachyonic preheating and tachyonic oscillations, during which the inflaton field becomes inhomogeneous, there can be a subsequent preheating phase where the fluctuations of the other field get resonantly enhanced, from …
We propose a class of models of supersymmetric hilltop inflation (also called "new inflation") where the initial conditions of the inflaton close to the hilltop are generated through "matter field preinflation". This is achieved via a coupling term between the inflaton and matter fields (i.e. Standard Model fields or a right-handed neutrino). The same coupling also opens up a decay channel for the inflaton into Standard Model fields, which allows efficient reheating of the universe. We discuss the multifield dynamics of the inflaton and matter fields during inflation using the delta N formalis…
Current cosmological data favour inflationary models non-minimally coupled to gravity. In this work we study the implications of the metastability of the electroweak vacuum in this framework. We consider an inflaton field with a non-minimal coupling to Ricci curvature and a portal coupling between the Higgs field and the inflaton and find that the ratio of the two couplings is severely constrained from stability during inflation and reheating dynamics, with constraints becoming more severe for weaker non-minimal coupling as during inflation Higgs fluctuations are amplified by inflationary expa…
We consider models of inflation in supergravity with a shift symmetry. We focus on models with one moduli and one inflaton field. The presence of this symmetry guarantees the existence of a flat direction for the inflaton field. Mildly breaking the shift symmetry using a superpotential which depends not only on the moduli but also on the inflaton field allows one to lift the inflaton flat direction. Along the inflaton direction, the eta-problem is alleviated. Combining the KKLT mechanism for moduli stabilization and a shift symmetry breaking superpotential of the chaotic inflation type, we fin…
The inflaton must convert its energy into radiation after inflation, which, in a conventional scenario, is caused by the perturbative inflaton decay. This reheating process would be much more complicated in some cases: the decay products obtain masses from an oscillating inflaton and thermal environment, and hence the conventional reheating scenario can be modified. We study in detail processes of particle production from the inflaton, their subsequent thermalization and evolution of inflaton/plasma system by taking dissipation of the inflaton in a hot plasma into account. It is shown that the…
