New potentials for string axion inflation

Abstract

We propose a new type of axion inflation with complex structure moduli in the framework of type IIB superstring theory compactified on the Calabi-Yau manifold. The inflaton is identified as the axion for the complex structure moduli whose potential is originating from instantonic corrections appearing through the period vector of the mirror Calabi-Yau manifold. The axionic shift symmetry is broken down to the discrete one by the inclusion of the instantonic correction and certain three-form fluxes. Our proposed inflation scenario is compatible with Kähler moduli stabilization. We also study a typical reheating temperature in the case of complex structure moduli inflation.

Polyinstanton axion inflation

“…The inflation scenario with such modular function terms has also been studied [7,11,12]. Moreover, the mixture of polynomial functions and sinusoidal functions was derived by quantum corrections and studied to realize inflation models [13][14][15].…”

“…For example, we can analyze explicitly the reheating processes after the axion inflation. The axion couplings to the gauge bosons, quarks, and leptons may be rather weak, and the reheating temperature may be rather low [9,13,15]. The axions would also appear in phases of couplings among the quarks, leptons, and the Higgs fields.…”

Axion inflation and Affleck-Dine baryogenesis

“…1 In particular, the F -term axion monodromy inflation is also a promising candidate, which is discussed in Refs. [11,12] and derived in type IIB string theory with three-form fluxes [13,14]. In any axion inflation model, the baryon asymmetry of the Universe has to be sufficiently produced in order to be consistent with the Big-Bang Nucleosynthesis and cosmic microwave background data.…”

New forms of potential for string axion inflation

“…(See for derivation of the potential Ref. [8].) In a certain parameter region, we obtian a hierarchy such as Λ 5,6 Λ 4 .…”

“…Thus, the Dedekind eta function of the inflaton-axion appears in the inflation potential [5]. The other type of the axion potential is induced by quantum corrections on period vectors of Calabi-Yau manifolds [8], while the corresponding axion is massless at tree level. Such quantum corrections lead to a very unique axion potential, and its resultant potential form is a kind of mixture of polynomial functions and sinusoidal functions of the axion.…”