Higgs-otic Inflation and Moduli Stabilization

TL;DR

This paper investigates moduli stabilization in Higgs-otic inflation within Type IIB string theory, demonstrating controlled potential flattening and the possibility of trans-Planckian field ranges through flux tuning.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of moduli stabilization effects on large-field Higgs-otic inflation, including backreaction control and flux tuning requirements.

Findings

Heavy K"ahler moduli integration flattens the inflaton potential.

Flux tuning ensures stability during large-field inflation.

Backreaction of complex structure moduli can be minimized for trans-Planckian ranges.

Abstract

We study closed-string moduli stabilization in Higgs-otic inflation in Type IIB orientifold backgrounds with fluxes. In this setup large-field inflation is driven by the vacuum energy of mobile D7-branes. Imaginary selfdual (ISD) three-form fluxes in the background source a $\mu$-term and the necessary monodromy for large field excursions while imaginary anti-selfdual (IASD) three-form fluxes are sourced by non-perturbative contributions to the superpotential necessary for moduli stabilization. We analyze K\"ahler moduli stabilization and backreaction on the inflaton potential in detail. Confirming results in the recent literature, we find that integrating out heavy K\"ahler moduli leads to a controlled flattening of the inflaton potential. We quantify the flux tuning necessary for stability even during large-field inflation. Moreover, we study the backreaction of supersymmetrically stabilized complex structure moduli and the axio-dilaton in the K\"ahler metric of the inflaton. Contrary to previous findings, this backreaction can be pushed far out in field space if a similar flux tuning as in the K\"ahler sector is possible. This allows for a trans-Planckian field range large enough to support inflation.