Inflationary models with a flat potential enforced by non-Abelian discretegauge symmetries - art. no. 083519

Non-Abelian discrete gauge symmetries can provide the inflaton with a flat potential even when one takes into account gravitational strength effects. The discreteness of the symmetries also provide special field values where inflation can end via a hybrid-type mechanism. An interesting feature of th is method is that it can naturally lead to extremely flat potentials and so , in principle, to inflation at unusually low energy scales. Two examples o f effective field theories with this mechanism are given: one with a hybrid exit and one with a mutated hybrid exit. They include an explicit example in which the single field consistency condition is violated.