Smooth Hybrid Inflation and Non-Thermal Type II Leptogenesis

Abstract

We consider a smooth hybrid inflation scenario based on a supersymmetric SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R x U(1)_B-L model. The Higgs triplets involved in the model play a key role in inflation as well as in explaining the observed baryon asymmetry of the universe. We show that the baryon asymmetry can originate via non-thermal triplet leptogenesis from the decay of SU(2)_L triplets, whose tiny vacuum expectation values also provide masses for the light neutrinos.