Simplified Smooth Inflation with Observable Gravity Waves

TL;DR

This paper presents a simplified supersymmetric smooth hybrid inflation model with a single cutoff, achieving spectral index values consistent with observations and predicting potentially observable gravity waves.

Contribution

It introduces a simplified inflation model with one cutoff and demonstrates its compatibility with observational data and potential for observable gravity waves.

Findings

Scalar spectral index n_s ~ 0.97 matches WMAP data

Model predicts tensor-to-scalar ratio r <~ 0.02

Compatibility with current observational constraints

Abstract

We consider a simplified version of supersymmetric smooth hybrid inflation which contains a single ultraviolet cutoff m_P = 2.4 x 10^{18} GeV, instead of the two cutoffs m_P and M_* ~ few x 10^{17} GeV that are normally employed. With global supersymmetry the scalar spectral index n_s ~ 0.97, which is in very good agreement with the WMAP observations. With a non-minimal Kahler potential, the supergravity version of the model is compatible with the current central values of n_s and also yields potentially observable gravity waves (tensor to scalar ratio r <~ 0.02).