Dynamical generation of baryons at the electroweak transition

Abstract

A new mechanism through which a net baryon asymmetry could be generated at the electroweak phase transition is discussed. It works efficiently in ‘‘nonminimal’’ extensions of the standard model such as occur in supersymmetric theories, where the Higgs sector involves several fields. In these theories it appears capable of producing the observed asymmetry. Conversely, with more detailed calculations this mechanism could be used to put important constraints on nonminimal extensions of the standard model.