The curvaton scenario in supersymmetric theories

Abstract

We analyze the curvaton scenario in the context of supersymmety. Supersymmetric theories contain many scalars, and therefore many curvaton candidates. To obtain a scale invariant perturbation spectrum, the curvaton mass should be small during inflation $m \ll H$. This can be achieved by invoking symmetries, which suppress the soft masses and non-renormalizable terms in the potential. Other constraints on the curvaton model come from nucleosynthesis, gravitino overproduction, and thermal evaporation. The curvaton coupling to matter should be very small to satisfy these constraints ({\it e.g.} $h \lesssim 10^{-8}$ for typical soft masses $m \sim \TeV$).

8 pages, 4 figures