Non-gravitating scalar field in the FRW background

Abstract

We study interacting scalar field theory non-minimally coupled to gravity in the FRW background. We show that for a specific choice of interaction terms, the energy-momentum tensor of the scalar field vanishes, and as a result the scalar field does not gravitate. The naive space dependent solution to equations of motion gives rise to singular field profile. We carefully analyze the energy-momentum tensor for such a solution and show that the singularity of the solution gives a subtle contribution to the energy-momentum tensor. The space dependent solution therefore is not non-gravitating. Our conclusion is applicable to other space-time dependent non-gravitating solutions as well. We study hybrid inflation scenario in this model when purely time dependent non-gravitating field is coupled to another scalar field.