2009/05/31 by Marina Cortês, Andrew R. Liddle · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Anisotropy #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Bubble #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #False vacuum #Geophysics and Gravity Measurements #Inflation (cosmology) #Inflaton #Invariant (physics) #Mathematics #Mechanics #Nucleation #Parameter space #Phase transition #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Statistical physics #Statistics #Theoretical physics #Thermodynamics #astro-ph.CO #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.80.083524
published as Phys.Rev.D80:083524,2009 · 9 pages, 7 figures. Revised version: corrections to description of the historical development of the models. v3: Minor corrections to match version accepted by PRD
arxiv created 2009/09/30 · openalex publication_date 2009/10/22 · arxiv updated 2010/04/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We investigate the parameter space of two-field inflation models where inflation terminates via a first-order phase transition causing nucleation of bubbles. Such models experience a tension from the need to ensure nearly scale-invariant density perturbations, while avoiding a near scale-invariant bubble size distribution which would conflict observations. We perform an exact analysis of the different regimes of the models, where the energy density of the inflaton field ranges from being negligible as compared to the vacuum energy to providing most of the energy for inflation. Despite recent microwave anisotropy results favoring a spectral index less than 1, we find that there are still viable models that end with bubble production and can match all available observations. As a by-product of our analysis, we also provide an up-to-date assessment of the viable parameter space of Linde's original second-order hybrid model across its full parameter range.