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Abstract |
We study the post-inflationary energy transfer from the inflaton (phi) into a scalar field (chi) non-minimally coupled to gravity through xi R|chi|2, considering models with inflaton potential Vinf proportional to |phi| p around phi = 0. This corresponds to the paradigm of geometric preheating, which we extend to its non-linear regime via lattice simulations. Considering alpha-attractor T-mo del potentials as a proxy, we study the viability of proper reheating for p = 2, 4, 6, determining whether radiation domination (RD) due to energetic dominance of chi over phi, can be achieved. For large inflationary scales Lambda, reheating is frustrated for p = 2, it can be partially achieved for p = 4, and it becomes very efficient for p = 6. Efficient reheating can be however blocked if chi sustains self-interactions (unless these are extremely feeble), or if Lambda is low enough, so that inflaton fragmentation brings the universe rapidly into RD. Whenever RD is achieved, either due to reheating (into chi) or to inflaton fragmentation, we characterize the energy and time scales of the problem, as a function of Lambda and xi. |
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Address |
[Figueroa, Daniel G.; Loayza, Nicolas] Univ Valencia, CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Parc Cient UV,C Catedrat Jose Beltran 2, E-46980 Paterna, Spain, Email: daniel.figueroa@ific.uv.es; |
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