1/R Correction to Gravity in the Early Universe

TL;DR

This paper explores how a 1/R correction to Einstein gravity, dependent on the inflaton, can significantly alter inflation dynamics, generate entropy perturbations, and produce observable non-Gaussianities, challenging previous constraints.

Contribution

It introduces a novel inflaton-dependent 1/R correction model that affects inflationary perturbations and non-Gaussianities, providing new insights into early universe physics.

Findings

Entropy perturbations can be nearly scale-invariant.

The 1/R correction revives quartic potential inflation models.

Large non-Gaussianities can be generated outside the horizon.

Abstract

To explain the accelerated expansion of late universe, the 1/R correction to Einstein gravity is usually considered, where R is the Ricci scalar. This correction term is generally believed to be negligible in the early universe. However, if the 1/R term is inflaton-dependent, it will dramatically change the story of inflation. The entropy perturbation will naturally appear and drive the evolution of curvature perturbation outside the Hubble horizon. In a large class of models, the entropy perturbation can be made nearly scale-invariant. In Einstein gravity the single-field inflation with a quartic potential has been ruled out by recent observations, but it revives when the 1/R term is turned on. The evolution of non-Gaussianities on large scale are also studied and applied to inflation with 1/R correction. In some specific models, a large non-Gaussianity can be naturally generated outside the horizon.