Trapped quintessential inflation in the context of flux compactifications

Abstract

We present a model for quintessential inflation using a string modulus for theinflaton–quintessence field. The scalar potential of our model is based on genericnon-perturbative potentials arising in flux compactifications. We assume an enhancedsymmetry point (ESP), which fixes the initial conditions for slow roll inflation. Whencrossing the ESP the modulus becomes temporarily trapped, which leads to a brief stageof trapped inflation. This is followed by enough slow roll inflation to solve theflatness and horizon problems. After inflation, the field rolls down the potential andeventually freezes to a certain value because of cosmological friction. The latter is dueto the thermal bath of the hot big bang, which is produced by the decay of acurvaton field. The modulus remains frozen until the present, when it becomesquintessence.