Higgs Inflation, Quantum Smearing and the Tensor to Scalar Ratio

Understand

In cosmic inflation driven by a scalar gauge singlet field with a tree level Higgs potential, the scalar to tensor ratio r is estimated to be larger than 0.036, provided the scalar spectral index n_s >= 0.96.

• We discuss quantum smearing of these predictions arising from the inflaton couplings to other particles such as GUT scalars, and show that these corrections can significantly decrease r.
• However, for n_s >= 0.96, we obtain r >= 0.02 which can be tested by the Planck satellite.