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Higgs Inflation

Es, C.R. van (2012) Higgs Inflation. Master's Thesis / Essay, Physics.

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Abstract

In this thesis, we examine the possibility that the Standard Model Higgs boson played the role of the inflaton. A standard quartic potential requires an unphysically small coupling constant to obtain density perturbations in agreement with observational data. A large coupling between the scalar field and the Ricci curvature scalar relaxes this condition, and the field might be identified with the Standard Model Higgs field. In such a model, the predicted values of the spectral index and the tensor-to-scalar ratio are also in agreement with current observational data. However, quantum corrections seem to break the theory down below the scale inflation takes place. Finally, we analyze the role of the Goldstone bosons. During inflation the first derivative of the Higgs potential doesn't vanish. This leads to a nonzero mass term for the the Goldstone bosons and hence they contribute to the Coleman-Weinberg potential.

Item Type: Thesis (Master's Thesis / Essay)
Degree programme: Physics
Thesis type: Master's Thesis / Essay
Language: English
Date Deposited: 15 Feb 2018 07:50
Last Modified: 15 Feb 2018 07:50
URI: https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/10540

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