We propose that the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry can be naturally produced as a by-product of axion-driven slow-roll inflation by coupling the axion to standard model neutrinos. We assume that grand unified theory scale right-handed neutrinos are responsible for the masses of the standard model neutrinos and that the Higgs field is light during inflation and develops a Hubble-scale root-mean-square value. In this setup, the rolling axion generates a helicity asymmetry in standard model neutrinos. Following inflation, this helicity asymmetry becomes equal to a net lepton number as the Higgs condensate decays and is partially reprocessed by the $SU(2{)}_L$ sphaleron into a net baryon number.

• Received 18 August 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.091301