Inflaton field
The inflaton field is a hypothetical scalar field that is theorized to drive cosmic inflation in the very early universe. The field provides a mechanism by which a period of rapid expansion from 10−35 to 10−34 seconds after the initial expansion can be generated, forming a universe consistent with observed spatial isotropy and homogeneity.
The basic model of inflation proceeds in three phases:
Initially, the inflaton field is at a high-energy state.
Eventually, random quantum fluctuations trigger a phase transition whereby the potential energy of the inflaton field is released as matter and radiant energy (radiation). The inflaton field settles to its lowest-energy state.
This action generates a repulsive force that drives the portion of the universe that is observable to us today to expand from approximately 10−50 metres in radius at 10−35 seconds to almost 1 metre in radius at 10−34 seconds.
Similar to other quantum fields, a quantized particle for the inflaton field is expected. The field quanta of the inflaton field is known as inflaton. Depending on the modeled potential energy density, the inflaton field's ground state may or may not be zero.
The term inflaton follows the typical naming style of other quantum particles (such as photon, gluon, boson and fermion), deriving from the word inflation. The term was first used in a paper entitled ‘After Primordial Inflation’ by, D.V. Nanopoulos, K.A. Olive and M. Srednicki.
Atkins (2012) has suggested that a modified version of the Higgs boson could act as an inflaton.
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