Minimal signatures of the standard model in non-Gaussianities

Abstract

We show that the leading coupling between a shift symmetric inflaton and the standard model fermions leads to an induced electroweak symmetry breaking due to particle production during inflation, and as a result, a unique oscillating feature in non-Gaussianities. In this one parameter model, the enhanced production of standard model fermions dynamically generates a new electroweak symmetry breaking minimum, where the Higgs field classically rolls to. The production of fermions stops when the Higgs expectation value and hence the fermion masses become too large, suppressing fermion production. The balance between the above-mentioned effects gives the standard model fermions masses that are uniquely determined by their couplings to the inflaton. In particular, the heaviest standard model fermion, the top quark, can produce a distinct cosmological collider physics signature characterized by a one-to-one relation between amplitude and frequency of the oscillating signal, which is observable at future 21-cm surveys.