Type I Hilltop Inflation and the Refined Swampland Criteria

TL;DR

This paper examines the compatibility of type I hilltop inflation models with the refined swampland criteria, highlighting tensions with current observational constraints and proposing brane-world scenarios as a potential resolution.

Contribution

It demonstrates the tension between standard type I hilltop inflation and swampland criteria, and explores how brane-world modifications can reconcile this.

Findings

Standard hilltop inflation is in tension with swampland criteria.

Brane-world scenarios allow for compatibility with refined swampland criteria.

Current observational constraints challenge the viability of simple hilltop inflation models.

Abstract

In this paper, I show that type I hilltop inflation under the current observational constaints could have $M_P^2 \frac{V^{\prime\prime}}{V} \sim -\mathcal{O}(10^{-2})$ in the parameter space which is in tension with the refined swampland criteria. On the other hand, $M_P^2 \frac{V^{\prime\prime}}{V} \sim -\mathcal{O}(1)$ can be achieved if type I hilltop inflation on the brane is considered.