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# 1 Introduction

## 1 Introduction

Cosmic inflation is an attractive approach to the horizon, flatness, monopole, and homogeneity problem . It is of primary interest to find an answer to the question how large-scale structure is seeded and how the anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background at large angular resolution come about, see  and references therein. More recently, string inspired alternatives to inflation have been proposed where cosmology is driven by the dilaton field  or by a radion field  which determines the distance between two parallel and four dimensional boundary branes of a five dimensional bulk. In their minimal versions both models, however, have been claimed to not be able to generate a scale-invariant spectrum of adiabatic fluctuations .

The explanation of inflation as well as the description of adiabatically generated primordial curvature perturbations by the real-time dynamics of one or more slowly rolling, real, and gravitationally minimally coupled scalar fields is an effective approach. Inflationary models of this type are hardly constrained by observation, and hence a large amount of arbitraryness is inherent to the model building. To attenuate this unsatisfactory fact and to build on a solid principle it was proposed in Ref.  that the strong dynamics driving very early comology is due to an $`SU(N_C)`$ gauge symmetry with large $`N_C`$.

Effectively, the thermal behavior of the pure gauge theory is modelled by quasi-particle excitations over a nontrivial classical background. An adjoint Higgs model at very high temperatures is smoothly connected to a dynamical Abelian projection at high temperatures which, in turn, reduces to a $`Z_{N_C}`$ symmetric model for $`N_C1`$ complex scalar fields $`\varphi _k`$ at $`T<\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{2\pi }`$ . The latter model has a vanishing vacuum energy and therefore terminates inflation. Here $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ denotes the dynamical scale of the $`SU(N_C)`$ theory which also sets the scale for inflation. In this paper we focus on the Abelian and the center phase. A finite modulus $`|\varphi _k|<\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ embodies the $`T`$ dependent condensation of magnetic monopoles whereas $`|\varphi _k|\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ describes the condensation of center vortices. Qualitatively, this picture is supported by lattice simulations of an $`SU(2)`$ gauge theory at finite temperature . The potential $`V`$ of our effective description is constructed to admit topologically nontrivial, periodic Bogomoln’yi-Prasad-Sommerfield (BPS)  saturated solutions to the Euclidean $`\varphi `$-field equations along a compact time dimension of length $`\beta 1/T`$ .

The effective gauge theory description implies radiation domination for $`M_P>T\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{2\pi }`$ which runs into vacuum domination for $`T\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{2\pi }`$. The latter regime is terminated by a transition to the phase of condensed center vortices. In the absence of fermions no (pseudo) Nambu-Goldstone moduli are produced in this transition since $`Z_{N_C}`$ is a discrete symmetry. Heavy vector bosons, which survive inflation, are stable and possibly contribute to today’s cold dark matter. In the presence of fundamentally charged, low-mass fermions a kinematically possible, postinflationary decay of vector bosons into $`Z_{N_C}`$-charged chiral pseudo Nambu-Goldstone bosons (PNGB) should be strongly suppressed by higher dimensional operators.

Since the monopole condensate fluctuates with a mass $`m_\varphi \mathrm{\Lambda }H_i`$ during inflation, $`H_i`$ denoting the (quasi-constant) Hubble parameter, the usual mechanism of an adiabatic generation of spatial curvature perturbations fails in the case of pure gauge dynamics . To propose an alternative mechanism for the generation of spatial curvature perturbations in the framework of an effective gauge theory description of inflation is the purpose of the present paper. The scenario relies on the curvaton mechanism which was discovered in Ref.  and re-addressed recently in Ref. . In its minimal version this mechanism operates with a gravitationally minimally coupled, light scalar field – the curvaton – which is decoupled from the dynamics driving inflation. During inflation the quantum fluctuation of the curvaton convert into isocurvature perturbations on super-horizon scales. Upon horizon-entry of cosmological scales during the radiation dominated epoch after inflation isocurvature perturbations get converted into spatial curvature perturbations due to an increasing ratio of curvaton to radiation energy density. Following the epoch of curvaton decay into radiation the spatial curvature perturbation remains constant in time and is responsible for the formation of large-scale structure . In our gauge theory framework it is suggestive that the existence of a curvaton has to do with the dynamical breakdown of a continuous, global symmetry due to strong gauge interactions close to the transition to the confining phase. This symmetry is present if we allow for fundamentally charged, chiral fermions to enter the stage. In this case, the spontaneous breakdown of chiral symmetry during inflation releases a gas of chiral PNGB which undergoes Bose-Einstein (BE) condensation after a sufficient number of e-foldings. The resulting condensate acts as a curvaton and decays into fermions solely charged under a weakly coupled gauge group $`G`$.

The outline of the paper is as follows: In Section 2 we introduce our model for the relevant fields during inflation, discuss BE condensation of chiral PNGB in an expanding universe, and use a simplified, effective description of the condensate to estimate the mass of fundamental fermions from the requirement of scale invariance of the Gaussian isocurvature perturbations generated during inflation. The postinflationary generation of curvature perturbations and the subsequent decay of PNGB are discussed in Section 3, and the consistency of various assumptions is checked. There is a short summary in Section 4.

## 2 Chiral symmetry breaking and BE condensation during inflation

### 2.1 Set-up and general considerations

In this paper we consider the dynamics of matter that is not directly related to the Standard Model of particle physics and its supersymmetric extensions.

We consider $`N_F`$ flavors of asymptotically free fermions of degenerate mass $`m_F`$ which transform fundamentally under an $`SU(N_C)`$ gauge theory of scale $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$. At one loop accuracy we have $`N_C>\frac{2}{11}N_F`$. Assuming $`m_F\mathrm{\Lambda }`$, there is an approximate chiral symmetry $`U(N_F)`$. For this symmetry group to possess nontrivial, nonanomalous subgroups we impose $`N_F>1`$. To have a sensible $`1/N_C`$ counting we assume $`N_FN_C`$. The fermions are taken to be fundamentally charged under an additional, much smaller gauge group $`G`$ inducing weakly coupled dynamics with a gauge coupling constant $`g<1`$111The consistency of this assumption will be shown in Section 4.2.. The total gauge group therefore is $`SU(N_C)\times G`$. We will refer to the fermions characterized above as $`F`$-fermions. Assuming that the vacuum energy of the theory is dominated by that of the pure glue sector, one obtains an effective groundstate description as in . The magnetic coupling constants of the $`SU(N_C)`$ gauge bosons to the monopole condensate, which is described by a single, complex mean field $`\varphi `$, are determined by the root structure of $`SU(N_C)`$ . For simplicity we assume all magnetic couplings and hence all gauge boson masses to be equal.

In addition, $`K`$ flavors of fermions with a mass comparable to $`m_F`$ are assumed. These fermions be fundamentally charged solely under $`G`$, and in the following we will refer to them as $`K`$-fermions. Einstein gravity is assumed to be minimally coupled to this matter.

For large $`N_C`$ the critical temperature for the transition to the confining $`Z_{N_C}`$ symmetric phase is $`T\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{2\pi }`$ . If we assume that charge parity C is a good symmetry in the deconfining phase then close to the transition the ratio $`R`$ of radiation pressure to vacuum pressure is given as

$$R=(2\pi )^4\times 12\left[N_F+\frac{1}{N_C}\left(K\text{dim}[\text{fund}(G)]+\frac{1}{2}\text{dim}[\text{adj}(G)]\right)\right].$$
(1)
Eq. (1) derives from the facts that the gauge bosons of the dynamical Abelian projection decouple close to the transition to the center phase  and that there are $`4(N_FN_C+K\text{dim}[\text{fund}(G)])`$ chiral fermions and $`2\text{dim}[\text{adj}(G)]`$ massless gauge bosons of the gauge group $`G`$.

Hence the ground state dominates the cosmic evolution (quasi-exponential expansion, quasi de Sitter geometry) close to the phase transition if $`K`$ and $`N_F`$ are not too large. For example, $`N_C=34`$, $`G=SU(2)`$, and $`K=N_F=3`$ yields $`R3.6`$ %.

Quenched QCD lattice simulations seem to indicate that the critical temperatures for chiral restoration is slightly higher than the deconfinement transition . Including dynamical fermions and appealing to the method of imaginary chemical potentials it was found recently in Ref.  that $`N_C=2,3`$ QCD has no confinement phase transition at all but rather a level crossing. This is consistent with  where the nonexistence of a tachyonic regime in the model effective potential was observed for $`N_C<8`$. However, the classical arguments of Ref.  are only applicable in the limit of large $`N_C`$, and therefore this consistency at small $`N_C`$ may be pure coincidence. We nevertheless take the results of  as a motivation to assume that in the framework of Ref. , where $`N_C=34`$ was found from the condition that inflation is terminated after 60 e-foldings, the chiral transition occurs during the de Sitter stage. This transition naturally generates a radiation of PNGB.

Our intuition about inflationary cosmology seems to forbid the condensation of PNGB since the exponential expansion of the universe tears particles apart and allows for causal contact only within a quasi-constant horizon. This, however, may not be a valid concern: The total particle number as measured at the instant of emission is only conserved on super-horizon scales. A particle being emitted at some instant $`t_0`$ is in a momentum eigenstate normalized to the Hubble volume. At some later time $`t_1>t_0`$ this volume has expanded by a factor $`\mathrm{exp}[3H(t_1t_0)]`$ decreasing the contribution of the particle to the total density by a factor $`\mathrm{exp}[3H(t_1t_0)]`$. Since the position of a particle is irrelevant for the formation of condensates we may still think in terms of conserved particle numbers. Therefore, the relevant patch of the inflating universe, which coincides with the observable universe at emission, may be associated with a box of exponentially increasing volume containing a gas of exponentially decreasing temperature. Bose-Einstein (BE) condensation is a pure quantum effect which needs no interaction betweeen the participating particles . Hence a comparison of expansion and interaction rate again is irrelevant for the formation of condensates. Therefore, BE condensation may be expected to take place after a sufficiently long time during the de Sitter epoch.

The time scale for the duration of the chiral transition is set by $`f_{\text{PNGB}}\mathrm{\Lambda }`$. Since $`\mathrm{\Lambda }\frac{M_P}{\mathrm{\Lambda }}H_iH_i`$ this transition takes place on a much smaller time scale than the inflationary expansion of the universe, and hence the chiral transition may be viewed as instantaneous. We assume that the spectrum of PNGB generated at the instant of emission is of the Bose-Einstein type with temperature $`T\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{2\pi }`$ and chemical potentials $`\mu _e^\alpha `$. In a given gauge the $`\mu _e^\alpha `$ correspond to charges $`Q_e^\alpha `$ within the horizon arising from the inhomogeneities in the charge densities $`n^\alpha `$ which are defined as the zero components of $`G`$ gauge covariantly conserved currents $`j_\mu ^\alpha `$. Because the coupling $`g`$ is small and since the chiral interaction strength between PNGB is parametrically counted in powers of $`\frac{T}{4\pi f_{\text{PNGB}}}`$ ($`f_{\text{PNGB}}\mathrm{\Lambda }`$) and at the instant of PNGB emission $`T\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{2\pi }`$ the treatment of the PNGB as a Bose gas of noninteracting particles is justified.

### 2.2 BE condensation in an expanding universe

We have to distinguish two cases. A chiral PNGB particle is either (a) charged or (b) neutral under the group $`G`$. Condensation of charged PNGB can only occur if there are, in a given gauge, nonvanishing charge densities $`n^a`$ within the de Sitter horizon being produced during the chiral transition. Here $`\alpha `$ runs through the representation of $`G`$ which acts on the charged PNGB being made of a pair of an F-fermion and F-antifermion. There are $`N_F^2`$ species of PNGB for each $`G`$ charge. We do not carry this factor along in the following discussion. Moreover, we will omit the label $`\alpha `$ in the following since for generic gauge groups many of the $`n^\alpha `$ can be gauge-rotated away.

Let us first consider case (a). A $`G`$ charge $`Q_e`$ within the inflationary horizon at the instant of the chiral transition is associated with a chemical potential $`\mu _e`$. We have

$`n_e`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\pi ^2}}{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}dpp^2\times `$ (2)
$`\left[{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\mathrm{exp}[\frac{2\pi }{\mathrm{\Lambda }}(\sqrt{p^2+m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}\mu _e)]1}}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\mathrm{exp}[\frac{2\pi }{\mathrm{\Lambda }}(\sqrt{p^2+m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}+\mu _e)]1}}\right].`$
Let $`x`$ denote the number of e-foldings the scale factor $`a`$ undergoes from the instant of the chiral transition to the first occurence of the charged BEC. Then the charge density $`n_e`$ relates to the charge density $`n_0`$ at the onset of condensation as

$$n_0=\mathrm{exp}[3x]n_e.$$
(3)
In an ideal, nonrelativistic, and bosonic quantum gas of identical particles the charge density $`n_0`$, in turn, determines the critical temperature $`T_0`$ for the onset of BE condensation as

$$n_0=2.612\times \left(\frac{T_0m_{\text{PNGB}}}{2\pi }\right)^{3/2}.$$
(4)
Combining Eqs. (2),(3), and (4), we derive

$`T_0`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{2\pi }{m_{\text{PNGB}}}}\mathrm{exp}[2x]({\displaystyle \frac{1}{2.612\times 2\pi ^2}}{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}dpp^2\times `$
$`[{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\mathrm{exp}[\frac{2\pi }{\mathrm{\Lambda }}(\sqrt{p^2+m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}\mu _e)]1}}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\mathrm{exp}[\frac{2\pi }{\mathrm{\Lambda }}(\sqrt{p^2+m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}+\mu _e)]1}}])^{2/3}.`$
Eq. (2.2) relates the critical temperature $`T_0`$ to the chemical potential at emission $`\mu _e`$ and the number of e-foldings $`x`$ needed for the onset of condensation.

After condensation there must be sufficient inflation to generate classical, Gaussian isocurvature fluctuations of the BEC’s which are converted to curvature perturbations after inflation (see Section 3.1). Therefore, BE condensation must be completed within a number of e-foldings considerably smaller than the total of 60 or so inflationary e-foldings required to solve the horizon problem.

It is the finiteness of the scale $`m_{\text{PNGB}}`$ that makes it likely to cause a finite charge density $`n_e`$ during the chiral transition. Thus we assume $`\mu _e`$ to be comparable to $`m_{\text{PNGB}}`$. Moreover, we assume that $`m_{\text{PNGB}}`$ also sets the scale for $`T_0`$. There is no strict reason why this should be so. However, $`m_{\text{PNGB}}\mu _eT_0`$ leads to an acceptable number of e-foldings for the completion of BE condensation if we use $`\mathrm{\Lambda }10^{13}`$ GeV as in Ref. .

Let us make this more explicit. As a result of Section 2.4 we take $`m_{\text{PNGB}}=10^6\mathrm{\Lambda }`$. Inserting $`m_{\text{PNGB}}\mu _eT_0`$, $`\mathrm{\Lambda }=10^6M_p`$, $`m_{\text{PNGB}}=10^6\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ into Eq. (2.2) and varying $`\mu _e`$ between $`\mu _e=0.1m_{\text{PNGB}}`$ and $`\mu _e=0.9m_{\text{PNGB}}`$, the number of e-foldings $`x`$ needed for the onset of BE condensation varies between $`x=7.5`$ and $`x=8.2`$. Hence, there is a good insensitivity of $`x`$ with respect to variations in $`\mu _e`$. Note that with $`H_i\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }^2}{M_p}10^{12}M_p`$ we satisfy the condition $`H_i<10^5M_p`$ which is inferred from the cosmic microwave background limit on gravitational waves. Here $`M_p`$ denotes the Planck mass $`M_p10^{19}`$ GeV in contrast to a reduced Planck mass $`M_P`$ introduced below.

To estimate the number of e-foldings $`x_c`$ needed to complete condensation we consider the following ratio as it was derived in Ref.

$$\frac{n_c}{n_{tot}}=1\left(\frac{T}{T_0}\right)^{3/2}.$$
(6)
Here, $`n_{tot},n_c`$ denote the total density of PNGB and the density fraction of particles residing in the condensate, respectively. We decompose $`n_{tot}(x)=n_c(x)+\overline{n}(x)`$, where $`\overline{n}(x)`$ refers to the fractional density of particles in the gas phase after $`x`$ e-foldings counted from the onset of condensation. For $`Tm_{\text{PNGB}}`$ temperature scales nonrelativistically, that is $`T=T_0\mathrm{exp}[2x]`$. Substituting this into Eq. (6), we obtain

$$\overline{n}(x)=n_c(x)\left(\mathrm{exp}[3x]1\right)^1.$$
(7)
Since particles in the condensate have no spatial momentum their density $`n_c`$ does not scale with $`x`$ as a direct consequence of the expansion of the universe. Because of Eq. (7), which describes the $`T`$ dependence of the condensate fraction, there is, however, an indirect scaling. This can be seen as follows.

Changing $`xx+dx`$, the variation $`d\overline{n}`$ is due to gas particles going into the condensate on the one hand and due to a decrease of gas density because of de Sitter expansion on the other hand. Hence, we have

$$d\overline{n}=(n_c^{}+3\overline{n})dx,$$
(8)
where $`n_c^{}\frac{dn_c}{dx}`$. Replacing $`xx+dx`$ in Eq. (7), using Eq. (8), and comparing coefficients at $`dx`$, we obtain

$$n_c^{}=3\frac{\mathrm{exp}[6x]}{1\mathrm{exp}[3x]}n_c.$$
(9)
The solution to Eq. (9) reads

$$n_c(x)=n_{c,\mathrm{}}\mathrm{exp}\left[\mathrm{exp}[3x]\right](1\mathrm{exp}[3x]).$$
(10)
Eqs. (7),(8) can also be solved for $`n_c,dn_c`$, respectively. Repeating the above steps in this case yields

$$\overline{n}^{}=3\frac{\mathrm{exp}[3x]}{1+\mathrm{exp}[3x]}\overline{n}.$$
(11)
The solution to Eq. (11), subject to the initial condition $`\overline{n}(0)=n_0`$, is

$$\overline{n}(x)=\frac{n_0}{e}\mathrm{exp}\left[\mathrm{exp}[3x]3x\right].$$
(12)
From Eq. (7) we finally obtain

$$n_{c,\mathrm{}}=\frac{n_0}{e}.$$
(13)
Fig. 1 shows a plot of $`n_c(x)/n_{c,\mathrm{}}`$.

Saturation of the condensate density $`n_c`$ is reached within a small fraction of an e-folding at a value comparable to $`n_0`$. Hence, given an initial chemical potential the number of e-foldings required for a complete condensation of PNGB particles is practically determined by the critical temperature $`T_0`$ for the onset of the condensation. This shows that the assumptions $`m_{\text{PNGB}}T_0\mu _e`$ are consistent with the requirement that BE condensation be completed after a number of e-foldings which is considerably smaller than 60. From Eqs. (4),(13) it is seen that the asymptotic condensate density is

$$n_{c,\mathrm{}}f_G\frac{2.612}{e}(2\pi )^{3/2}m_{\text{PNGB}}^30.11f_Gm_{\text{PNGB}}^3,$$
(14)
where the factor $`f_G`$ is determined by the gauge group $`G`$ and the result of PNGB emission. For example, if $`G=SU(2)`$ then charged PNGB, composed of pairs of $`F`$ and $`\overline{F}`$ fermions, would live in the adjoint representation. Assuming equal chemical potentials $`\mu _e^a=m_{\text{PNGB}},(a=1,2,3)`$ for each charge in the gauge we start with would yield $`f_{SU(2)}=\sqrt{3}`$. The condensates of charged PNGB would act as an adjoint Higgs field $`\varphi ^a,(a=1,2,3)`$ and break $`SU(2)`$ spontaneously. We will address this concern in Section 3.3. To obtain the total number density of PNGB residing in the condensates the expression in Eq. (14) has to be multiplied by $`N_F^2`$.

Let us now consider case (b). Here we have

$$T_0=\frac{2\pi }{m_{\text{PNGB}}}\mathrm{exp}[2x]\left(\frac{1}{2.612\times 2\pi ^2}_0^{\mathrm{}}𝑑pp^2\left[\frac{1}{\mathrm{exp}[\frac{2\pi }{\mathrm{\Lambda }}\sqrt{p^2+m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}]1}\right]\right)^{2/3}.$$
(15)
We assume again that BE condensation sets in at $`T_0m_{\text{PNGB}}`$. The corresponding number of e-foldings is $`12`$. As for the rapidity of the process of complete condensation we expect a similar behavior as for case (a). Setting $`f_G=1`$, the asymptotic condensate density is again $`N_F^2`$ times the value estimated in Eq. (14).

### 2.3 Simplest field theoretic description of condensates

Similarily to Ref. , where the simplest curvaton model is discussed, we describe the flavor-sum over BEC’s of PNGB in terms of one effective, condensed real scalar field $`\sigma ^{}`$ which is one of the minima of some potential $`V(\sigma )`$. Since, according to what we assumed in the last section, there is no scale hierarchy in the condensates, the contribution to the potential energy of $`\sigma ^{}`$ is $`(\sigma ^{})^4`$. Subdominant fluctuations $`\delta \sigma `$ give a contribution $`\frac{1}{2}m_\sigma ^2\delta \sigma ^2`$ to lowest-order, where $`m_\sigma ^2_\sigma ^2V|_{\sigma =\sigma ^{}}`$. Hence we have

$$V_\sigma =(\sigma ^{})^4+\frac{1}{2}m_\sigma ^2\delta \sigma ^2.$$
(16)
To estimate the value of $`\sigma ^{}`$ we have to know that the transition to the condensed phase has no latent heat, that is, there is no discontinuity in the energy density . Therefore, the energy density $`\rho `$ for a single species of PNGB is given as222Because of the existence of a condensate of charged PNGB and consequently the existence of a finite $`G`$ field strength there is a small contribution to the energy density from the gauge field energy which we omit here.

$$\rho =n_{c,\mathrm{}}m_{\text{PNGB}}.$$
(17)
Combining Eq. (17) and Eq. (14) yields

$$\rho =0.11f_Gm_{\text{PNGB}}^4.$$
(18)
Taking into acount flavor multiplicity and the group structure of $`G`$, the factor 0.11 in Eq. (18) converts into a number of order unity such that the total energy density $`\rho _{BEC}`$ is given as

$$\rho _{BEC}m_{\text{PNGB}}^4.$$
(19)
Combining this with Eq. (16), we have

$$\sigma ^{}m_{\text{PNGB}}.$$
(20)
This can be converted into

$$\sigma ^{}\sqrt{\mathrm{\Lambda }m_F}.$$
(21)
when invoking large $`N_C`$ counting and the Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner (GOR) relation

$$m_{\text{PNGB}}^2f_{\text{PNGB}}^2m_F\overline{q}q,$$
(22)
where $`\overline{q}q`$ denotes the order parameter for spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking. More explicitly, Eq. (21) can be obtained as follows. On the one hand large $`N_C`$ counting implies that $`f_{\text{PNGB}}\sqrt{N_C}\mathrm{\Lambda }`$. Here $`\mathrm{\Lambda }N_C^0`$ indicates the asymptotically constant in $`N_C`$ scale parameter of the $`SU(N_C)`$ gauge dynamics with coupling constant $`g_s/\sqrt{N_C}`$ . On the other hand we have $`\overline{q}qN_C\mathrm{\Lambda }^3`$. Since $`m_F`$ does not scale with $`N_C`$ we hence conclude that $`m_{\text{PNGB}}\sqrt{m_F\mathrm{\Lambda }}`$ which links Eq. (20) and Eq. (21).

### 2.4 Estimate of fermion mass from scale invariance of Gaussian isocurvature perturbations

We now discuss the generation of Gaussian isocurvature perturbations due to quantum fluctuations of the BEC of PNGB during inflation with the simplifying assumption of an effective description in terms of a single, real curvaton field $`\sigma `$. The case of non-Gaussianity is not investigated in this paper.

For the generation of Gaussian isocurvature fluctuations during inflation the typical perturbation $`\delta \sigma =H_i/2\pi `$ acrued in a Hubble time must be small as compared to the mean-field $`\sigma ^{}`$ as it is given in Eq. (21). Therefore, we demand

$$\frac{4\pi ^2\sigma _{}^{}{}_{}{}^{2}}{H_i^2}4\pi ^2\frac{M_P^2}{\mathrm{\Lambda }^2}\frac{m_F}{\mathrm{\Lambda }}1,$$
(23)
where $`M_P`$ denotes a reduced Planck mass defined as $`H^2M_P^2\rho `$. It is natural to assume that the mass $`m_\sigma `$ of the fluctuations $`\delta \sigma `$ is comparable to $`m_{\text{PNGB}}`$. Hence, for $`\delta \sigma `$ to be the dominant cause of density perturbations and for the generation of a scale invariant spectrum of classical perturbations we have $`m_{\text{PNGB}}^2m_\sigma ^2H_i^2`$. This is equivalent to

$$\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }^2}{M_P^2}\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{m_F}1.$$
(24)
Hence, Gaussianity and scale invariance of the spectrum imply

$$\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }^2}{M_P^2}\frac{m_F}{\mathrm{\Lambda }}\frac{1}{4\pi ^2}\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }^2}{M_P^2}.$$
(25)
In particular, assuming $`M_P^2/\mathrm{\Lambda }^210^{11}`$ as in Ref. , we have

$$10^{13}\frac{m_F}{\mathrm{\Lambda }}10^{11},$$
(26)
which is a tight constraint on $`m_F`$. Taking $`\frac{m_F}{\mathrm{\Lambda }}10^{12}`$, corresponding to $`m_F10`$GeV, yields the value $`m_{\text{PNGB}}10^6\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ which is used in Section 2.2.

During inflation the Hubble paramter is given as $`H_i\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{M_P}\mathrm{\Lambda }`$. From Eq. (25) it then follows that

$$\frac{\rho _{BEC}}{\rho _{tot}}|_{\text{inflation}}\left(\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{M_P}\right)^4.$$
(27)
This is an extremely small number. Therefore, fluctuations of $`\sigma `$ during inflation solely induce isocurvature perturbations.

## 3 Curvature perturbations and the decay of PNGB

### 3.1 The curvaton mechanism

In this section we briefly review the curvaton mechanism as it was proposed in Ref.  and reconsidered by Lyth and Wands in Ref.  (see also ). We also propose a modification concerning the nature of the curvaton matter after inflation.

Most economically the generation of primordial curvature perturbations is attributed to the quantum fluctuations of the inflaton field during inflation. In the standard approach fluctuations are adiabatically converted into classical, Gaussian curvature perturbations several Hubble times after horizon-exit. Upon horizon-entry after inflation these curvature perturbations seed the formation of large-scale structure.

Believing in this simple picture, one ignores attractive models of inflation where the curvature perturbations cannot be generated in an adiabatic way. A generic alternative was discussed in Ref. , and applications in more specific models were carried out in Refs. . The curvaton mechanism is based on the idea that primordial curvature perturbations do not have to be created directly during inflation but can be switched on by the cosmic evolution in a postinflationary, radiation dominated universe. Since in the framework of gauged inflation we have in mind an inflation scale $`\mathrm{\Lambda }10^{13}`$ GeV  the effects of gravitational waves on the generation of curvature perturbations are neglected in this paper.

Let us now turn to an application of the curvaton mechanism to a fluctuating BEC of chiral PNGB. A practically scale invariant spectrum of Gaussian isocurvature perturbations, generated by a cosmologically irrelevant light field during inflation, may induce primordial curvature perturbations in the course of the cosmic evolution following inflation. How isocurvature perturbations are generated on super-horizon scales during inflation was already discussed in Section 3.4. Here we address the postinflationary conversion into curvature perturbations. According to (16) small fluctuations $`\delta \sigma \sigma ^{}`$ satisfy

$$\ddot{\delta \sigma }+3H\dot{\delta \sigma }+m_{\text{PNGB}}^2\delta \sigma =0.$$
(28)
Coherent oscillations in $`\delta \sigma `$ start if $`H`$ becomes of the order $`m_{\text{PNGB}}`$. In a radiation dominated universe this happens at

$$\frac{a_{mass}}{a_{end}}\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{\sqrt{m_{\text{PNGB}}M_P}},$$
(29)
where $`a_{end}`$ denotes the scale factor at the end of inflation. With $`M_P/\mathrm{\Lambda }0.35\times 10^6`$ and $`m_{\text{PNGB}}10^6\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ Eq. (29) yields

$$\frac{a_{mass}}{a_{end}}1.7.$$
(30)
Hence, $`\delta \sigma `$ starts to oscillate right after inflation. Since in Eq. (16) the mean field part and the coherent oscillations $`\delta \sigma `$ act like a cosmological constant and nonrelativistic matter, respectively, we assume a mean equation of state for curvatonic matter which interpolates between pure matter ($`p=0`$) and vacuum ($`p=\rho `$)

$$p_{curv}=\kappa \rho _{curv},(0\kappa 1).$$
(31)
Admittedly, this corresponds to a rather rough treatment of the curvatonic matter since the ratio between the nonrelativistic matter part and the condensate part does evolve in time. The equation of state Eq. (31) thus is merely assumed to be a time average over the exact equation of state taken from the end of inflation until curvaton decay.

Continuity implies that

$$\rho _{curv}=\rho _{curv,end}\left(\frac{a}{a_{end}}\right)^{3(\kappa 1)}.$$
(32)
Since “baryons” and heavy “mesons” are of mass $`N_C\mathrm{\Lambda },\mathrm{\Lambda }m_{\text{PNGB}}`$  the transition to the confining, $`Z_{N_C}`$ symmetric phase, which terminates inflation, should mainly generate PNGB radiation due to the much larger phase space. If we assume the distribution of this radiation to be of the Bose-Einstein type then an extra contribution $`\delta (𝐩)`$ has to be added to this distribution to take into account the BEC of PNGB (curvaton field) already generated during inflation. Consequently, the spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry during inflation contributes to the initial conditions at reheating which were postulated in Ref. .

Immediately after inflation the universe is dominated by PNGB radiation. We will show in Section 4.3 that this situation is maintained until the decay of the curvaton. Radiation as well as curvatonic matter separately satisfy continuity equations

$$\dot{\rho _\beta }=3H(\rho _\beta +p_\beta )(\beta =\text{rad},\text{curv}).$$
(33)
Each fluid generates curvature perturbations $`\xi _\beta `$ which are defined on slices of uniform $`\rho _\beta `$ and which are time independent on super-horizon scales. From Eq. (33) we have

$$\xi _\beta =H\frac{\delta \rho _\beta }{\dot{\rho _\beta }}=\frac{1}{3}\frac{\delta \rho _\beta }{\rho _\beta +p_\beta }.$$
(34)
The total curvature perturbation $`\xi `$ is time dependent and reads

$$\xi (t)=\frac{\rho _{rad}(t)\xi _{rad}+\rho _{curv}(t)\xi _{curv}}{\rho _{rad}(t)+p_{rad}(t)+\rho _{curv}(t)+p_{curv}(t)}=\frac{1}{3}\frac{r(t)}{4+r(t)(1\kappa )}\frac{\delta \rho _{curv}}{\rho _{curv}},$$
(35)
where $`r(t)\frac{\rho _{curv}(t)}{\rho _{rad}(t)}`$, and the density contrast $`\frac{\delta \rho _{rad}}{\rho _{rad}}`$ has been neglected. If we assume a value of $`\kappa `$ not far from unity then, according to Eq. (16), the density contrast $`\frac{\delta \rho _{curv}}{\rho _{curv}}`$ is given as

$$\frac{\delta \rho _{curv}}{\rho _{curv}}\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{H_i}{2\pi m_{\text{PNGB}}}\right)^2.$$
(36)
The consistency of this assumption will be shown in Section 4.3. The curvaton decays at a rate $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ due to a decay of PNGB into $`K`$-fermions (see Section 4.2). After complete decay, which we assume happens instantaneously at $`H=\mathrm{\Gamma }`$, $`\xi `$ is constant in time. Therefore, the prediction for the primordial spectrum of curvature perturbations (the Bardeen parameter) is

$$P_\xi ^{1/2}\frac{1}{6}\frac{r_{dec}}{4+r_{dec}(1\kappa )}\left(\frac{H_i}{2\pi m_{\text{PNGB}}}\right)^2.$$
(37)
In a radiation dominated universe $`r_{dec}`$ calculates as

$$r_{dec}r_i\left(\frac{a_{end}}{a_{dec}}\right)^{3\kappa +1}\left(\frac{m_{\text{PNGB}}}{\mathrm{\Lambda }}\right)^4\left(\frac{a_{end}}{a_{dec}}\right)^{3\kappa +1}.$$
(38)
The measured value of the Bardeen parameter is $`P_\xi ^{1/2}5\times 10^5`$.

### 3.2 Decay channels

The “hadronic” modes not being PNGB, which exist after inflation, are expected to possess mass of order $`\mathrm{\Lambda },N_C\mathrm{\Lambda }m_{\text{PNGB}}`$ . Therefore, the decay of PNGB into these modes is kinematically impossible even though these “hadrons” may be charged under the weakly coupled $`G`$ sector. The only possible decays of PNGB are: (a) decay of charged and neutral PNGB into a pair of $`K`$-fermions and (b) anomaly mediated decay of neutral PNGB into a pair of $`G`$ gauge bosons.

Let us first consider case (a). We do not consider a spontaneous breakdown of $`G`$ gauge symmetry by the presence of charged BEC of PNGB. Using the results of the next section it will be argued below that this assumption can be rendered consistent. Therefore, the corresponding gauge fields are taken to be massless. Since we do not want to make any specific assumptions about the structure of $`G`$ we treat group factors to be of order unity – in accord with the general level of precision intended in this paper. Since $`K`$ is assumed to be much smaller than $`N_C`$ we neglect flavor degeneracies.

We assume $`F`$-fermion-gauge-field vertices to be parity conserving in the underlying $`SU(N_C)`$ theory. Therefore, the PNGB only couples to the axial current $`j_\mu ^5`$. As usual, this coupling is parametrized by a decay constant $`f_{\text{PNGB}}`$ as

$$\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0}|j_\mu ^5|\text{PNGB},p=if_{\text{PNGB}}p_\mu .$$
(39)
Diagrammatically, the decay of a PNGB into a pair of $`K`$-fermions is shown in Fig. 2. For the decay of PNGB into $`K`$-fermions we distinguish two extreme cases.
1) There is an exact flavor symmetry, that is, all $`K`$-fermions have equal mass $`m_F`$, but the $`G`$-gauge-boson-fermion vertex is of the A-type, $`gW_\mu j_\mu ^5`$, and hence it violates parity maximally in the Lagrangian.
2) The gauge-boson-fermion interaction is of the parity conserving $`V`$-type, $`gW_\mu j_\mu `$, but there is a nontrivial CKM matrix which mixes $`K`$-flavors of different mass with no large hierarchy. For a specific decay we denote the typical mass differences between $`K`$-fermion and $`K`$-antifermion by $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_F`$ and the sum of masses by $`\overline{m}_F`$. Moreover, we assume the elements of the mixing matrix to be of order unity.
The corresponding decay rate can be calculated on tree-level in analogy to the pion decay rate  replacing the fermi coupling as $`\frac{G}{\sqrt{2}}\frac{g^2}{m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}`$ and considering a finite neutrino mass. According to the assumptions made under 1) and 2) instead of a $`(VA)`$-type vertex we separately consider $`A`$-type and $`V`$-type vertices.

For case 1) the decay rate $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_A`$ can be expressed in terms of the gauge coupling $`g`$, the mass $`m_{\text{PNGB}}`$, the decay constant $`f_{\text{PNGB}}`$, and the mass $`m_F`$ of $`K`$-fermions as

$$\mathrm{\Gamma }_A=\frac{g^4}{2\pi }\frac{f_{\text{PNGB}}^2m_F^2}{m_{\text{PNGB}}^3}\left(14\frac{m_{F}^{}{}_{}{}^{2}}{m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}\right)^{1/2}\left(1+4\frac{m_F^2}{m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}\right).$$
(40)
For case 2) the expression of the decay rate $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_V`$ in terms of the gauge coupling $`g`$, the mass of PNGB $`m_{\text{PNGB}}`$, the decay constant $`f_{\text{PNGB}}`$, and $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_F`$, $`\overline{m}_F`$ reads

$$\mathrm{\Gamma }_V=\frac{g^4}{8\pi }\frac{f_{\text{PNGB}}^2\mathrm{\Delta }m_F^2}{m_{\text{PNGB}}^3}\left(1\frac{\overline{m}_F^2}{m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}\right)\left(1\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }m_F^2+\overline{m}_F^2}{m_{\text{PNGB}}^2}+\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }m_F^2\overline{m}_F^2}{m_{\text{PNGB}}^4}\right)^{1/2}.$$
(41)
Since $`\frac{m_F}{m_{\text{PNGB}}},\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }m_F}{m_{\text{PNGB}}},\frac{\overline{m}_F}{m_{\text{PNGB}}}1`$ we will ignore the small corrections in the brackets of Eqs. (40,41) in the following. Because there is no large hierarchy in the masses of $`K`$-fermions for case 2) we will treat $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_F`$ to be of order $`m_F`$.

Using the GOR relation of Eq. (22) and large $`N_C`$ scaling, this yields

$$\mathrm{\Gamma }_{V,A}\frac{N_C}{8\pi }g^4\sqrt{m\mathrm{\Lambda }}\frac{N_C}{8\pi }g^4m_{\text{PNGB}}\mathrm{\Gamma }.$$
(42)
Eq. (42) expresses the fact that the decay width for PNGB into $`K`$-fermions scales linearly with $`N_C`$ and with the fourth power of a small coupling constant $`g1`$.

Considering case (b), we can use the result of  for anomaly mediated decay

$$\mathrm{\Gamma }_{\gamma \gamma }=\frac{g^4}{4\pi }\frac{m_{\text{PNGB}}^3}{f_{\text{PNGB}}^2}.$$
(43)
Appealing to Eq. (22) and using $`f_{\text{PNGB}}\sqrt{N_C}\mathrm{\Lambda }`$, we derive

$$\mathrm{\Gamma }_{\gamma \gamma }=N_C^1\frac{g^4}{4\pi ^2}\frac{m_F}{\mathrm{\Lambda }}\sqrt{m_F\mathrm{\Lambda }}.$$
(44)
This leads to

$$\frac{\mathrm{\Gamma }_{\gamma \gamma }}{\mathrm{\Gamma }}=\frac{2}{\pi N_C^2}\frac{m_F}{\mathrm{\Lambda }}.$$
(45)
Hence, decay into $`K`$-fermions mediated by the coupling of the axial current to the PNGB is extremely favoured as compared to the anomaly mediated decay into two $`G`$ gauge bosons.

Let us come back to the issue of spontaneous $`G`$ symmetry breaking by charged BEC. This symmetry breaking induces a mass $`m_W`$ for the $`G`$ gauge bosons and a mass shift $`\stackrel{~}{\mathrm{\Delta }}m_F`$ for $`K`$-fermions. We expect $`m_W`$ and $`\stackrel{~}{\mathrm{\Delta }}m_F`$ to be of order $`g\sigma ^{}`$ and $`g^2\sigma ^{}`$, respectively. On the one hand, the finiteness of $`m_W`$ affects $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ through a shift $`m_{\text{PNGB}}^2m_{\text{PNGB}}^2+m_W^2`$ in the $`G`$ gauge-boson propagator. In Section 4.3 we find that values of $`g`$ smaller than $`10^3`$ are allowed suggesting that $`m_Wg\sigma ^{}gm_{\text{PNGB}}<10^3m_{\text{PNGB}}`$ can be neglected in the calculation of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_{V,A}`$. On the other hand, we have $`\stackrel{~}{\mathrm{\Delta }}m_Fg^2\sigma ^{}g^2m_{\text{PNGB}}g^2\sqrt{m_F\mathrm{\Lambda }}g^2\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}10}^6m_F`$. Thus, $`\stackrel{~}{\mathrm{\Delta }}m_Fm_F`$, and hence we may also neglect $`\stackrel{~}{\mathrm{\Delta }}m_F`$. For a sudden decay at $`T10^6\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ (see next section) a thermal mass $`gT`$  for $`G`$ gauge bosons can be neglected. However, after thermalization the thermal mass of the released quasi-particle excitations of $`K`$-fermions is a factor of $`10^3`$ larger than $`m_F`$.

### 3.3 How large are $`g`$, $`a_{dec}/a_{end}`$, and $`r_{dec}`$ ?

In this section we combine the conversion mechanism of Section 4.1 and the above approximate determination of the PNGB decay rate $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ to estimate the gauge coupling $`g`$, $`a_{dec}/a_{end}`$, and $`r_{dec}`$ as functions of $`\kappa `$. It is assumed that the running of $`g`$ with temperature $`T`$ can be neglected.

The condition for sudden curvaton decay is $`H=\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ . Assuming radiation domination until decay and appealing to Eq. (42), we obtain

$$\frac{a_{dec}}{a_{end}}\frac{1}{g^2}\sqrt{\frac{8\pi }{N_C}}\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{\sqrt{M_Pm_{\text{PNGB}}}}.$$
(46)
Substitution of Eq. (46) into Eq. (38) yields

$$r_{dec}=\frac{m_{\text{PNGB}}^{3\kappa /2+7/2}}{g^{6\kappa +2}}\left(\frac{8\pi }{M_PN_C}\right)^{3/2\kappa +1/2}\mathrm{\Lambda }^{3(\kappa 1)}.$$
(47)
We proceed by substituting Eq. (47) into Eq. (37) and by solving the result for $`g`$. This yields

$`g`$ $`=`$ $`\left[\left({\displaystyle \frac{1}{P_\xi ^{1/2}}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }^2}{2\pi M_Pm_{\text{PNGB}}}}\right)^2{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}(1\kappa )\right)\mathrm{\Lambda }^{3(\kappa 1)}m_{\text{PNGB}}^{3/2\kappa +7/2}\right]^{1/(6\kappa +2)}\left({\displaystyle \frac{8\pi }{M_PN_C}}\right)^{1/4}`$
where $`P_\xi ^{1/2}`$ is evaluated at curvaton decay. In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 graphical presentations are shown of Eq. (3.3), Eq. (46), and Eq. (47), respectively.

We are now in a position to check whether our assumptions actually are consistent about (i) PNGB radiation dominance at curvaton decay and (ii) the requirement $`g<10^3`$ for a negligible mass shift of $`K`$-fermions due to the spontaneous $`G`$ gauge symmetry breaking by BEC. Let us first look at (i). On the one hand, the PNGB gas can be considered radiation only as long as its temperature $`T`$ does not fall below $`m_{\text{PNGB}}`$. At curvaton decay we thus demand

$$\frac{a_{dec}}{a_{end}}\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{m_{\text{PNGB}}}.$$
(49)
Since $`\frac{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{m_{\text{PNGB}}}10^6`$ Fig. 4 indicates that the inequality (49) can be satisfied for $`\kappa 0.9`$. On the other hand, PNGB radiation dominates the energy density of the universe if $`r_{dec}1`$. According to Fig. 5 this is well satisfied for the entire indicated range of $`\kappa `$ values. Therefore, PNGB radiation dominance at curvaton decay is possible.

From Fig. 3 we see that (ii) is met for $`\kappa 0.9`$. Hence, (i) and (ii) together fix $`\kappa `$ to be $`\kappa 0.9`$.

Fig. 5 indicates that the ratio of curvaton to radiation energy increased from $`r_{end}10^{24}`$ at the end of inflation to $`r_{dec}10^4`$ at curvaton decay. This is the feature that allows for a conversion of the isocurvature perturbations, imprinted in the curvaton field at inflation, into curvature perturbations after a postinflationary expansion of $`10^6`$.

Due to the extremely small coupling $`g10^3`$ cosmology would be dominated by a plasma of $`K`$ fermions and $`G`$ gauge bosons after curvaton decay. The $`K`$ fermions of mass $``$10 GeV are wimpy and therefore potential contributers to the cold dark matter of today’s universe.

## 4 Summary

The purpose of this paper was to propose and test a generation and decay mechanism for a light field that can play the role of a curvaton in the framework of gauged inflation. The idea is that the spontaneous breaking of a chiral symmetry during inflation and the subsequent Bose-Einstein condensation of the associated pseudo Nambu-Goldstone bosons dynamically generate such an effective light scalar field. Postinflationary decay of this field and its excitations into fermions is mediated by weakly coupled gauge dynamics. In this scenario the mass scales are fixed by chiral symmetry and the requirement of the Gaussianity of the isocurvature perturbations that are generated from the quantum fluctuations of the curvaton during inflation.

## Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank M. Keil, S. Pastor, and D. Semikoz for useful discussions.