Minimal approach to baryogenesis via the Affleck-Dine mechanism and inflaton mass terms

Abstract

We present a minimal approach to the generation of the baryon ($B$) asymmetry of the Universe, in which the asymmetry is generated in a complex inflaton condensate via $B$-violating quadratic inflaton potential terms and the Affleck-Dine mechanism. We show that the $B$-violating quadratic mass terms create an oscillating asymmetry in the complex inflaton condensate at late times. The final asymmetry transferred to the Standard Model sector at reheating is naturally reduced to the magnitude of the observed $B$ asymmetry by the effect of averaging over the $B$ oscillations. This approach to baryogenesis can easily be realized in a wide range of inflation models.

Topics & Concepts