Constraints on real scalar inflation from preheating using LATTICEEASY*

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we undertake a detailed study of real scalar inflation using LATTICEEASY simulations to investigate preheating phenomena. Generally, the scalar inflation potential with non-minimal coupling can be approximated using a quartic potential. We observe that the evolutionary behavior of this potential remains unaffected by the coupling coefficient. Furthermore, the theoretical predictions for the scalar spectral index ( ) and tensor-to-scalar power ratio (r) are independent of this coefficient. Consequently, the coefficients of this model are not constrained by Planck observations. Fortunately, the properties of preheating after inflation provide a viable approach to examining these coefficients. Through LATTICEEASY simulations, we trace the evolution of particle number density, scale factor, and energy density during the preheating process. Subsequently, we derive the parameters, such as the energy ratio (γ) and the e-folding number of preheating ( ), which facilitate further predictions of and r. We successfully validate real scalar inflation model using preheating in LATTICEEASY simulations based on the analytical relationship between preheating and inflation models.