Quantum gravity correction, evolution of scalar field and inflation

TL;DR

This paper investigates quantum gravity corrections to scalar field evolution during inflation, showing that these corrections can be incorporated into the potential to support successful inflationary conditions.

Contribution

It introduces a method to include quantum gravity corrections via the Schwinger-DeWitt expansion, focusing on potential modifications in scalar-tensor inflation models.

Findings

Quantum corrections primarily modify the scalar potential.

Proper parameter choices can ensure inflationary conditions are met.

The approach clarifies how quantum effects influence inflation dynamics.

Abstract

We take the first nontrivial coefficient of the Schwinger-DeWitt expansion as a leading correction to the action of the second-derivative metric-dilaton gravity. To fix the ambiguities related with an arbitrary choice of the gauge fixing condition and the parametrization for the quantum field, one has to use the classical equations of motion. As a result, the only corrections are the ones to the potential of the scalar field. It turns out that the parameters of the initial classical action may be chosen in such a way that the potential satisfies most of the conditions for successful inflation.