New Model of Inflation with Non-minimal Derivative Coupling of Standard Model Higgs Boson to Gravity

Abstract

In this letter we show that there is a unique non-minimal derivative coupling of the Standard Model Higgs boson to gravity such that: it propagates no more degrees of freedom than General Relativity sourced by a scalar field, reproduces a successful inflating background within the Standard Model Higgs parameters and, finally, does not suffer from dangerous quantum corrections.

Comments: v2: 5 pages, comment on the running of the Higgs self coupling added, reference added, title changed to match standards of PRL; version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett. (2010)