The 2-loop MSSM finite temperature effective potential with stop condensation

Abstract

We calculate the finite temperature 2-loop effective potential in the MSSM with stop condensation, using a 3-dimensional effective theory. We find that in a part of the parameter space, a two-stage electroweak phase transition appears possible. The first stage would be the formation of a stop condensate, and the second stage is the transition to the standard electroweak minimum. The two-stage transition could significantly relax the baryon erasure bounds, but the parameter space allowing it (m_H \lsim 100 GeV, m_tR \sim 155-160 GeV) is not very large. We estimate the reliability of our results using renormalization scale and gauge dependence. Finally we discuss some real-time aspects relevant for the viability of the two-stage scenario.

30 pages, 7 figures