Higgs-inflaton coupling from reheating and the metastable Universe

Abstract

Current Higgs boson and top quark data favor metastability of our vacuum which raises questions as to why the Universe has chosen an energetically disfavored state and remained there during inflation. In this Letter, we point out that these problems can be solved by a Higgs-inflaton coupling which appears in realistic models of inflation. Since an inflaton must couple to the Standard Model particles either directly or indirectly, such a coupling is generated radiatively, even if absent at tree level. As a result, the dynamics of the Higgs field can change dramatically. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.