Quintessential inflation with canonical and noncanonical scalar fields and Planck 2015 results

TL;DR

This paper explores models of quintessential inflation using canonical and noncanonical scalar fields, achieving inflation consistent with Planck 2015 data and connecting early and late cosmic acceleration through tracker solutions.

Contribution

It introduces steep potential models for inflation and incorporates nonminimal coupling with neutrinos to unify early inflation and late-time acceleration.

Findings

Models align with Planck 2015 constraints

Successful inflation with steep potentials

Late-time acceleration via neutrino coupling

Abstract

We investigate two classes of models of quintessential inflation, based upon canonical as well as noncanonical scalar fields. In particular, introducing potentials steeper than the standard exponential, we construct models that can give rise to a successful inflationary phase, with signatures consistent with Planck 2015 results. Additionally, using nonminimal coupling of the scalar field with massive neutrino matter, we obtain the standard thermal history of the Universe, with late-time cosmic acceleration as the last stage of evolution. In both cases, inflation and late-time acceleration are connected by a tracker solution.