Weakly first order cosmological phase transitions and fermion production

Citation
M. Gleiser et M. Trodden, Weakly first order cosmological phase transitions and fermion production, PHYS LETT B, 517(1-2), 2001, pp. 7-12
Citations number
14
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
PHYSICS LETTERS B
ISSN journal
03702693 → ACNP
Volume
517
Issue
1-2
Year of publication
2001
Pages
7 - 12
Database
ISI
SICI code
0370-2693(20010927)517:1-2<7:WFOCPT>2.0.ZU;2-1
Abstract
We study weakly first order cosmological phase transitions in finite temper ature field theories. Focusing on the standard electroweak theory and its m inimal supersymmetric extension, we identify the regimes of Higgs masses fo r which the phase transition in these models proceeds by significant phase mixing and the coarsening of the subsequent domain network. This dynamics i s distinct from that for strongly first order transitions, which proceed by the nucleation and propagation of critical bubbles. We describe how electr oweak baryogenesis might take place in these models, explaining how our new picture can relax the sphaleron washout bound of traditional scenarios. (C ) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.