Pseudosmooth Tribrid Inflation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new class of supersymmetric tribrid inflation models where the inflaton is a combination of Higgs and matter fields, naturally avoiding topological defects and connecting inflation with particle physics.

Contribution

It proposes a pseudosmooth inflation model with a tribrid superpotential structure, linking inflationary dynamics to GUT-scale phase transitions and particle physics frameworks.

Findings

Inflation occurs via a phase transition at GUT energies.

The model avoids dangerous topological defects post-inflation.

It provides a framework connecting inflation with supersymmetric GUTs.

Abstract

We explore a new class of supersymmetric models of inflation where the inflaton is realised as a combination of a Higgs field and (gauge non-singlet) matter fields, using a "tribrid" structure of the superpotential. Inflation is associated with a phase transition around GUT scale energies. The inflationary trajectory already preselects the later vacuum after inflation, which has the advantage of automatically avoiding the production of dangerous topological defects at the end of inflation. While at first sight the models look similar to smooth inflation, they feature a waterfall and are therefore only pseudosmooth. The new class of models offers novel possibilities for realising inflation in close contact with particle physics, for instance with supersymmetric GUTs or with supersymmetric flavour models based on family symmetries.