Pole inflation from non-minimal coupling to gravity

TL;DR

This paper explores pole inflation models derived from non-minimal gravity couplings, emphasizing the role of quantum field theory RG running in shaping inflationary predictions and their dependence on coupling behaviors.

Contribution

It introduces a multi-field pole inflation framework with non-minimal coupling, linking inflationary predictions to the RG flow of couplings in QFT.

Findings

Inflationary predictions depend on the full RG running of couplings.

Acceptable tensor/scalar ratios are achieved with perturbative, moderately large couplings.

Different RG behaviors (confinement, IR/UV fixed points) influence inflation outcomes.

Abstract

Transforming canonical scalars to the Einstein frame can give a multi-field generalization of pole inflation (namely, a scalar with a divergent kinetic term) at vanishing field-dependent Planck mass. However, to obtain an attractor, the scalar potential must obey certain non-generic conditions. These are automatically satisfied in Quantum Field Theories with dimension-less couplings. The resulting models of pole inflation have special inflationary predictions determined by the full RG running of couplings. Acceptable predictions for the tensor/scalar ratio arise for perturbative but moderately large couplings, so we explore the possible QFT runnings: to confinement, to an IR fixed point, and to a UV fixed point.