Scalar Field Equations from Quantum Gravity during Inflation

TL;DR

This paper investigates quantum gravity corrections to scalar field equations during inflation, finding that one-loop effects are negligible at late times, implying minimal impact on the inflationary power spectrum.

Contribution

It provides a detailed calculation showing that quantum gravity induces no significant late-time corrections to scalar mode functions during inflation.

Findings

One-loop quantum gravity corrections are negligible at late times.

No significant correction to the scalar power spectrum from quantum gravity.

Results likely extend to the inflaton field in scalar-driven inflation.

Abstract

We exploit a previous computation of the self-mass-squared from quantum gravity to include quantum corrections to the scalar evolution equation. The plane wave mode functions are shown to receive no significant one loop corrections at late times. This result probably applies as well to the inflaton of scalar-driven inflation. If so, there is no significant correction to the $\phi \phi$ correlator that plays a crucial role in computations of the power spectrum.