Quantum Higgs Inflation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum dynamics approach to Higgs inflation, producing a multi-field potential compatible with observations and addressing initial condition fine-tuning issues.

Contribution

It applies non-adiabatic quantum dynamics to develop a multi-field Higgs-like inflation model consistent with cosmological data.

Findings

Produces a potential matching CMB observations

Addresses initial quantum fluctuation uncertainties

Ensures smooth end of inflation

Abstract

The Higgs field is an attractive candidate for the inflaton because it is an observationally confirmed fundamental scalar field. Importantly, it can be modeled by the most general renormalizable scalar potential. However, if the classical Higgs potential is used in models of inflation, it is ruled out by detailed observations of the cosmic microwave background. Here, a new application of non-adiabatic quantum dynamics to cosmological models is shown to lead to a multi-field Higgs-like potential, consistent with observations of a slightly red-tilted power spectrum and a small tensor-to-scalar ratio, without requiring non-standard ingredients. These methods naturally lead to novel effects in the beginning of inflation, circumventing common fine-tuning issues by an application of uncertainty relations to estimate the initial quantum fluctuations in the early universe. Moreover, inflation ends smoothly as a consequence of the derived multi-field interactions.