5.7.1. Chaotic inflation models

This is the standard type of inflation model. [6] The ingredients are

• A single scalar field, rolling in ...
• A potential V(), which in some regions satisfies the slow-roll conditions, while also possessing a minimum with zero potential in which inflation is to end.
• Initial conditions well up the potential, due to large fluctuations at the Planck era.

There are a large number of models of this type. Some are

Some of these actually do not satisfy the condition of a minimum in which inflation ends; they permit inflation to continue forever. However, we shall see power-law inflation arising in a more satisfactory context shortly.