Universality Class in Conformal Inflation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new class of conformal inflation models exhibiting universal behavior near an enhanced symmetry point, leading to stable observational predictions due to exponential flattening of potentials.

Contribution

It presents a novel inflationary framework based on conformal invariance and critical phenomena, demonstrating universality and robustness of predictions against potential deformations.

Findings

Universal inflationary behavior near SO(1,1) symmetry point

Exponential flattening of scalar potentials in the Einstein frame

Inflation possible with steep potentials due to conformal effects

Abstract

We develop a new class of chaotic inflation models with spontaneously broken conformal invariance. Observational consequences of a broad class of such models are stable with respect to strong deformations of the scalar potential. This universality is a critical phenomenon near the point of enhanced symmetry, SO(1,1), in case of conformal inflation. It appears because of the exponential stretching of the moduli space and the resulting exponential flattening of scalar potentials upon switching from the Jordan frame to the Einstein frame in this class of models. This result resembles stretching and flattening of inhomogeneities during inflationary expansion. It has a simple interpretation in terms of velocity versus rapidity near the Kahler cone in the moduli space, similar to the light cone of special theory of relativity. This effect makes inflation possible even in the models with very steep potentials. We describe conformal and superconformal versions of this cosmological attractor mechanism.