k-Inflation

Armendariz-Picon, C.; Damour, T.; Mukhanov, V.

k-Inflation

Authors

Armendariz-Picon, C.

Damour, T.

Mukhanov, V.

Description

It is shown that a large class of higher-order (i.e. non-quadratic) scalar kinetic terms can, without the help of potential terms, drive an inflationary evolution starting from rather generic initial conditions. In many models, this kinetically driven inflation (or "k-inflation" for short) rolls slowly from a high-curvature initial phase, down to a low-curvature phase and can exit inflation to end up being radiation-dominated, in a naturally graceful manner. We hope that this novel inflation mechanism might be useful in suggesting new ways of reconciling the string dilaton with inflation.
LaTeX, 20 pages including 3 figures. Submitted to Phys. Lett. B