Tight constraints on F- and D-term hybrid inflation scenarios

TL;DR

This paper uses current cosmological observations to tightly constrain supersymmetric F- and D-term hybrid inflation models, finding the minimal D-term model strongly disfavored and F-term models also under tension.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive analysis of F- and D-term hybrid inflation models incorporating cosmic string contributions using recent cosmological data.

Findings

Minimal D-term model is ruled out at high significance.

F-term models are also in tension with observational data.

Non-minimal variants are discussed as possible alternatives.

Abstract

We use present cosmological data from the cosmic microwave background, large-scale structure and deuterium at high redshifts to constrain supersymmetric F- and D-term hybrid inflation scenarios including possible contributions to the CMB anisotropies from cosmic strings. Using two different realizations of the cosmic string spectrum, we find that the minimal version of the D-term model is ruled out at high significance. F-term models are also in tension with the data. We also discuss possible non-minimal variants of the models.