We present another mechanism to generate the baryon asymmetry of the Universe within supersymmetric inflationary cosmologies. The gravitational coupling of the inflaton to the heavy fields in the theory is used to generate the baryon excess. We find that, in models with an inflaton field and some heavy fields, there is a generation of baryon number due to the transfer of energy from the inflaton to the heavy sector. We study this general mechanism for two simple models—one in which the inflaton does not break supersymmetry and one for which it does. We find that we can get the observed value of the baryon to entropy ratio in these models. The thermal constraint (stabilization of the inflaton in the plateau region at high temperatures) is violated in both these models. We discuss the possibility of the introduction of direct couplings to satisfy this constraint.

• Received 20 September 1985

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.33.338