Reviving Quadratic Inflation: Minimal Deformation for CMB Compatibility and Reheating Consistency
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866915604597833728 |
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| author | Djeha, Khedidja |
| author_facet | Djeha, Khedidja |
| contents | We revisit the quadratic inflationary potential by introducing a minimal higher-order correction obtained through a simple field redefinition, leading to the potential V(chi) = (1/2) m^2 * (chi - (gamma/14) * chi^7)^2.
While the uncorrected quadratic model predicts n_s approximately 0.967 and r approximately 0.13, in strong tension with CMB data, the corrected potential yields n_s approximately 0.965 and r approximately 0.036, fully consistent with Planck 2018 constraints.
Beyond inflationary observables, the deformation also impacts the reheating phase. In the quadratic case, reheating corresponds to a matter-like regime with w_reh = 0, whereas the corrected potential gives w_reh approximately -0.011, a slightly softer equation of state. This modification raises the reheating temperature by a factor of about 3.4 (for N_reh = 10), or equivalently extends the reheating duration at fixed temperature.
Our results demonstrate that even a minimal higher-order correction is sufficient to reconcile the quadratic model with observations while providing a more consistent post-inflationary history, highlighting the relevance of controlled deformations of simple inflationary scenarios. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_05341 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Reviving Quadratic Inflation: Minimal Deformation for CMB Compatibility and Reheating Consistency Djeha, Khedidja Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics We revisit the quadratic inflationary potential by introducing a minimal higher-order correction obtained through a simple field redefinition, leading to the potential V(chi) = (1/2) m^2 * (chi - (gamma/14) * chi^7)^2. While the uncorrected quadratic model predicts n_s approximately 0.967 and r approximately 0.13, in strong tension with CMB data, the corrected potential yields n_s approximately 0.965 and r approximately 0.036, fully consistent with Planck 2018 constraints. Beyond inflationary observables, the deformation also impacts the reheating phase. In the quadratic case, reheating corresponds to a matter-like regime with w_reh = 0, whereas the corrected potential gives w_reh approximately -0.011, a slightly softer equation of state. This modification raises the reheating temperature by a factor of about 3.4 (for N_reh = 10), or equivalently extends the reheating duration at fixed temperature. Our results demonstrate that even a minimal higher-order correction is sufficient to reconcile the quadratic model with observations while providing a more consistent post-inflationary history, highlighting the relevance of controlled deformations of simple inflationary scenarios. |
| title | Reviving Quadratic Inflation: Minimal Deformation for CMB Compatibility and Reheating Consistency |
| topic | Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.05341 |