title: Spacetime Curvature and Higgs Stability after Inflation.
abstract: We investigate the dynamics of the Higgs field at the end of inflation in the minimal scenario consisting of an inflaton field coupled to the standard model only through the nonminimal gravitational coupling ξ of the Higgs field. Such a coupling is required by renormalization of the standard model in curved space, and in the current scenario also by vacuum stability during high-scale inflation. We find that for ξ≳1, rapidly changing spacetime curvature at the end of inflation leads to significant production of Higgs particles, potentially triggering a transition to a negative-energy Planck scale vacuum state and causing an immediate collapse of the Universe.
authors.affiliation: Niels Bohr International Academy and Discovery Center, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herranen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.|Department of Physics, King's College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Markkanen
authors.affiliation: Helsinki Institute of Physics and Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64 (Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2), FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.|Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (YFL) (Survontie 9), FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nurmi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.|Department of Physics, King's College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajantie