Creation of particles in a cyclic universe driven by loop quantum cosmology

TL;DR

This paper explores a cyclic universe model in loop quantum cosmology, demonstrating that quantum bounces replace singularities and that particle production during evolution is negligible, thus not affecting the universe's cyclic behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a cyclic universe scenario driven by quantum bounces in loop quantum cosmology and analyzes particle production, showing its negligible impact on the universe's evolution.

Findings

Quantum bounces replace classical singularities.

Particle production density is negligible compared to background.

Quantum effects do not influence the future bounce.

Abstract

We consider an isotropic and homogeneous universe in loop quantum cosmology. We assume that the matter content of the universe is dominated by dust matter in early time and a phantom matter at late time which constitutes the dark energy component. The quantum gravity modifications to the Friedmann equation in this model indicate that the classical big bang singularity and the future big rip singularity are resolved and are replaced by quantum bounce. It turns out that the big bounce and recollapse in the herein model contribute to a cyclic scenario for the universe. We then study the quantum theory of a massive, non-minimally coupled scalar field undergoing cosmological evolution from primordial bounce towards the late time bounce. In particular, we solve the Klein-Gordon equation for the scalar field in the primordial and late time regions, in order to investigate particle production phenomena at late time. By computing the energy density of created particles at late time, we show that this density is negligible in comparison to the quantum background density at Planck era. This indicates that the effects of quantum particle production do not influence the future bounce.