One loop corrected conformally coupled scalar mode equations during inflation

TL;DR

This paper calculates the one-loop quantum corrections to a conformally coupled scalar field during inflation, revealing a secular growth in the scalar mode functions due to graviton interactions, which could impact inflationary dynamics.

Contribution

It provides a fully renormalized computation of quantum corrections to the scalar mode equations during inflation, highlighting the secular growth effect from graviton interactions.

Findings

Scalar mode functions exhibit secular growth over time.

Quantum corrections are significant at late times during inflation.

Graviton interactions influence scalar evolution during inflation.

Abstract

We employ a fully renormalized computation of the one loop contribution to the self-mass-squared of the conformally coupled (CC) scalar interacting with gravitons during inflation to study how inflationary produced gravitons affect the CC scalar evolution equation. The quantum corrected scalar mode functions turn out to get a secular growth effect, proportional to a logarithm of the scale factor at late times.