Towards Axionic Starobinsky-like Inflation in String Theory

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how Starobinsky-like inflationary potentials can be achieved within string theory using non-geometric flux compactifications, leveraging axion shift symmetries to control UV corrections and interpolate between different inflationary regimes.

Contribution

It introduces a method to realize Starobinsky-like inflation in string theory through non-geometric fluxes and axion monodromy, addressing UV correction control and single-field inflation constraints.

Findings

Constructed a backreacted, uplifted F-term axion-monodromy potential.

Showed the potential interpolates between quadratic and Starobinsky-like forms.

Discussed limitations related to UV control and single-field inflation requirements.

Abstract

It is shown that Starobinsky-like potentials can be realized in non-geometric flux compactifications of string theory, where the inflaton involves an axion whose shift symmetry can protect UV-corrections to the scalar potential. For that purpose we evaluate the backreacted, uplifted F-term axion-monodromy potential, which interpolates between a quadratic and a Starobinsky-like form. Limitations due to the requirements of having a controlled approximation of the UV theory and of realizing single-field inflation are discussed.