Can Standard Model Higgs Seed the Formation of Structures in Our Universe?

TL;DR

This paper investigates whether the Standard Model Higgs field can generate primordial curvature perturbations, concluding it cannot serve as a curvaton but can contribute via modulated reheating, with significant non-Gaussianity constraints.

Contribution

It demonstrates the Higgs field's limited role in primordial perturbation generation, highlighting the viability of modulated reheating and constraining Higgs-related interactions.

Findings

Higgs cannot act as a curvaton due to low energy density at decay.

Modulated reheating with Higgs is a viable scenario.

Higgs contribution to curvature perturbation is less than 8% for certain models.

Abstract

We study the Standard Model Higgs field as a source for the primordial curvature perturbation, particularly in the curvaton and modulated reheating scenario. We conclude that the Higgs cannot play as a curvaton due to the small energy density when it decays, however the modulated reheating by Higgs can be a viable scenario. In the latter case, the non-Gaussianity is inevitably generated and strongly constrains the type of potential of inflaton field and Higgs-dependent interaction term. For the quadratic potential of the inflaton field with decay rate which non-linearly depends on the Higgs vacuum expectation value, the contribution of Higgs field to the primordial curvature perturbation must be less than 8%.