Systematics of Axion Inflation in Calabi-Yau Hypersurfaces

Understand

We initiate a comprehensive survey of axion inflation in compactifications of type IIB string theory on Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces in toric varieties.

• For every threefold with $h^{1,1} \le 4$ in the Kreuzer-Skarke database, we compute the metric on K\"ahler moduli space, as well as the matrix of four-form axion charges of Euclidean D3-branes on rigid divisors.
• These charges encode the possibility of enlarging the field range via alignment.
• We then determine an upper bound on the inflationary field range $\Delta \phi$ that results from the leading instanton potential, in the absence of monodromy.