Non-Minimal M-flation

by Amjad Ashoorioon

Wednesday 10 Jul 2019, 11:30 → 13:30 Europe/Zurich

4/2-011 - TH common room (CERN)

I show how in a matrix inflationary model in which there is a non-minimal coupling between the matrix inflatons and gravity, which we dub as non-$\mathbb{M}$-flation for brevity, some of the disadvantages of the minimal model, $\mathbb{M}$-flation, can be avoided.  In particular, the number of D3 branes can be reduced substantially to $< \mathcal{O}(10^2)$ which can alleviate the ``potential'' backreaction problem of large number of D3 branes on the background geometry. This is achieved by values of non-minimal coupling of order few hundred, which is much smaller than what is invoked in Higgs Inflation. The prediction of the model in the symmetry breaking part of the potential $\phi>\mu$, which is a local attractor and can support eternal inflation, consequently becomes compatible with the latest PLANCK results. Contrary to $\mathbb{M}$-flation, in which the spectator fields failed to deplete the energy of the inflation around the symmetry breaking vacuum, $\phi=\mu$, due to their large bare masses, in non-$\mathbb{M}$-flation, they can be successfully used to reheat the universe. We also comment on how this non-minimal coupling may arise in a full fledged string theory setup.