Starobinsky-like Inflation Research Articles

Helical phase inflation via non-geometric flux compactifications: from natural to starobinsky-like inflation

We show that a new class of helical phase inflation models can be simply realized in minimal supergravity, wherein the inflaton is the phase component of a complex field and its potential admits a deformed helicoid structure. We find a new unique complex-valued index χ that characterizes almost the entire region of the n s − r plane favored by new Planck observations. Continuously varying the index χ, predictions interpolate from quadratic/natural inflation parameterized by a phase/axion decay constant to Starobinsky-like inflation parameterized by the α-parameter. We demonstrate that the simple supergravity construction realizing Starobinsky-like inflation can be obtained from a more microscopic model by integrating out heavy fields, and that the flat phase direction for slow-roll inflation is protected by a mildly broken global U(1) symmetry. We study the geometrical origin of the index χ, and find that it corresponds to a linear constraint relating Kahler moduli. We argue that such a linear constraint is a natural result of moduli stabilization in Type II orientifold compactifications on Calabi-Yau threefolds with geometric and non-geometric fluxes. Possible choices for the index χ are discrete points on the complex plane that relate to the distribution of supersymmetric Minkowski vacua on moduli space. More precise observations of the inflationary epoch in the future may provide a better estimation of the index χ. Since χ is determined by the fluxes and vacuum expectation values of complex structure moduli, such observations would characterize the geometry of the internal space as well.

Moduli backreaction and supersymmetry breaking in string-inspired inflation models

We emphasize the importance of effects from heavy fields on supergravity models of inflation. We study, in particular, the backreaction of stabilizer fields and geometric moduli in the presence of supersymmetry breaking. Many effects do not decouple even if those fields are much heavier than the inflaton field. We apply our results to successful models of Starobinsky-like inflation and natural inflation. In most scenarios producing a plateau potential it proves difficult to retain the flatness of the potential after backreactions are taken into account. Some of them are incompatible with non-perturbative moduli stabilization. In natural inflation there exist a number of models which are not constrained by backreactions at all. In those cases the correction terms from heavy fields have the same inflaton-dependence as the uncorrected potential, so that inflation may be possible even for very large gravitino masses.

F(R)-gravity and inflation

In this short review, we revisit inflation in F(R)-gravity. We find several F(R)-models for viable inflation by applying some reconstruction techniques. A special attention is payed in the reproduction of the last Planck satellite data. The possible generalizations of Starobinsky-like inflation are found and discussed. The early-time acceleration is analyzed in a higher derivative quantum gravitational model which mainly reduces to F(R)-gravity.

Disentangling the f(R)-duality

Motivated by UV realisations of Starobinsky-like inflation models, we study generic exponential plateau-like potentials to understand whether an exact f(R)-formulation may still be obtained when the asymptotic shift-symmetry of the potential is broken for larger field values. Potentials which break the shift symmetry with rising exponentials at large field values only allow for corresponding f(R)-descriptions with a leading order term Rn with 1<n<2, regardless of whether the duality is exact or approximate. The R2-term survives as part of a series expansion of the function f(R) and thus cannot maintain a plateau for all field values. We further find a lean and instructive way to obtain a function f(R) describing m2ϕ2-inflation which breaks the shift symmetry with a monomial, and corresponds to effectively logarithmic corrections to an R+R2 model. These examples emphasise that higher order terms in f(R)-theory may not be neglected if they are present at all. Additionally, we relate the function f(R) corresponding to chaotic inflation to a more general Jordan frame set-up. In addition, we consider f(R)-duals of two given UV examples, both from supergravity and string theory. Finally, we outline the CMB phenomenology of these models which show effects of power suppression at low-ℓ.

D-flation

In a recent paper we showed how Starobinsky-like inflation could emerge from dilaton dynamics in brane cosmology scenarios based on string theory, in which our universe is represented as a three-brane and the effective potential acquires a constant term from a density of effectively point-like non-perturbative defects on the brane: ``D-particles''. Here we explore how quantum fluctuations of the ensemble of D-particles during the inflationary period may modify the effective inflationary potential due to the dilaton. We then discuss two specific ways in which an enhanced ratio of tensor to scalar perturbations may arise: via either a condensate of vector fields with a Born-Infeld action that may be due to such recoil fluctuations, or graviton production in the D-particle vacuum.

Inflation beyond T-models and primordial B-modes

We describe extended theories which shares the gauge transformation symmetry of the T-models, and takes the T-models as well as Starobinsky model as special cases. We derive a general relation between the two slow-roll parameters, and find that a large class of models can be embedded. Such models include more general Starobinsky-like inflation as well as the chaotic inflation with a large tensor-to-scalar ratio consistent with the BICEP2 result.

A no-scale inflationary model to fit them all

The magnitude of B-mode polarization in the cosmic microwave background as measured by BICEP2 favours models of chaotic inflation with a quadratic m2 ϕ2/2 potential, whereas data from the Planck satellite favour a small value of the tensor-to-scalar perturbation ratio r that is highly consistent with the Starobinsky R +R2 model. Reality may lie somewhere between these two scenarios. In this paper we propose a minimal two-field no-scale supergravity model that interpolates between quadratic and Starobinsky-like inflation as limiting cases, while retaining the successful prediction ns ≃ 0.96.

Inflation in supergravity with a single chiral superfield

We propose new supergravity models describing chaotic Linde- and Starobinsky-like inflation in terms of a single chiral superfield. The key ideas to obtain a positive vacuum energy during large field inflation are (i) stabilization of the real or imaginary partner of the inflaton by modifying a Kähler potential, and (ii) use of the crossing terms in the scalar potential originating from a polynomial superpotential. Our inflationary models are constructed by starting from the minimal Kähler potential with a shift symmetry, and are extended to the no-scale case. Our methods can be applied to more general inflationary models in supergravity with only one chiral superfield.

Starobinsky-like inflation from induced gravity

We derive a general criterion that defines all single-field models leading to Starobinsky-like inflation and to universal predictions for the spectral index and tensor-to-scalar ratio, which are in agreement with Planck data. Out of all the theories that satisfy this criterion, we single out a special class of models with the interesting property of retaining perturbative unitarity up to the Planck scale. These models are based on induced gravity, with the Planck mass determined by the vacuum expectation value of the inflaton.

Starobinsky-like inflation in dilaton-brane cosmology

We discuss how Starobinsky-like inflation may emerge from dilaton dynamics in brane cosmology scenarios based on string theory, in which our universe is represented as a three-brane. The effective potential may acquire a constant term from a density of effectively point-like non-pertubative defects on the brane. Higher-genus corrections generate corrections to the effective potential that are exponentially damped at large field values, as in the Starobinsky model, but at a faster rate, leading to a smaller prediction for the tensor-to-scalar perturbation ratio r. This may be compensated partially by logarithmic deformations on the world-sheet due to recoil of the defects due to scattering by string matter on the brane, which tend to enhance the tensor-to-scalar ratio. Quantum fluctuations of the ensemble of D-brane defects during the inflationary period may also enhance the tensor-to-scalar ratio.

A no-scale supergravity framework for sub-Planckian physics

We propose a minimal model framework for physics below the Planck scale with the following features: (i) it is based on no-scale supergravity, as favoured in many string compactifications, (ii) it incorporates Starobinsky-like inflation, and hence is compatible with constraints from the Planck satellite, (iii) the inflaton may be identified with a singlet field in a see-saw model for neutrino masses, providing an efficient scenario for reheating and leptogenesis, (iv) supersymmetry breaking occurs with an arbitrary scale and a cosmological constant that vanishes before radiative corrections, (v) regions of the model parameter space are compatible with all LHC, Higgs and dark matter constraints.