Inflation in gauge theory of gravity with local scaling symmetry and quantum induced symmetry breaking

TL;DR

This paper explores a gauge theory of gravity with local scaling symmetry, proposing that quantum-induced symmetry breaking can produce viable inflation models consistent with current cosmological data.

Contribution

It demonstrates how quantum effects can induce symmetry breaking in a gauge gravity theory, leading to inflation models compatible with observations.

Findings

Quantum effects enable symmetry breaking in the model.

The effective potential supports viable inflation.

Predictions align with current cosmological measurements.

Abstract

Motivated by the gauge theory of gravity with local scaling symmetry proposed recently in 1712.04537 and 1506.01807, we investigate whether the scalar field therein can be responsible for the inflation. We show that the classical theory would suffer from the difficulty that inflation can start but will never stop. We explore possible solutions by invoking the symmetry breaking through quantum effects. The effective potential of the scalar field is shown to have phenomenologically interesting forms to give viable inflation models. The predictions of physical observables agree well with current cosmological measurements and can be further tested in future experiments searching for primordial gravitational waves.