We propose a class of curvaton models which we call passive curvaton. In this paper, two kinds of passive curvaton is considered. The first one is a pseudoscalar curvaton couples to a gauge field. Different from the inflaton case, the constraint from formation of primordial black holes (PBHs) is much weaker and large non-gaussianity (of the equiliteral type) can be produced. The second model is a dilaton-like scalar curvaton couples to a gauge field. We investigate the scale dependence of non-gaussianity in this model. In both models, the spectrum and non-Gaussianity are enhanced by the slow-roll parameter of the curvaton field. Other possible passive curvaton models are also mentioned.
Title: Electrically charged curvaton Authors: Michela D'Onofrio, Rose N. Lerner, Arttu Rajantie
We consider the possibility that the primordial curvature perturbation was generated through the curvaton mechanism from a scalar field with an electric charge, or precisely the Standard Model U(1) weak hypercharge. This links the dynamics of the very early universe concretely to the Standard Model of particle physics, and because the coupling strength is known, it reduces the number of free parameters in the curvaton model. We show that the model is compatible with CMB observations for Hubble rate H_* > 10^8 GeV and curvaton mass m > 10^{-2}H_*. Charge fluctuations generated during inflation are screened by electron-positron pairs, and therefore do not violate observational constraints. The interaction with the gauge field leads to interesting dynamics after inflation, including resonant preheating, with potentially highly non-trivial observational consequences, which should be studied more carefully using numerical field theory simulations.