Reconstruction of the Scalar Field Potential in Inflationary Models with a Gauss-Bonnet term

Abstract

We consider inflationary models with a Gauss-Bonnet term to reconstruct the scalar-field potentials and the Gauss-Bonnet coupling functions. Both expressions are derived from the observationally favored configurations of ns and r. Our result implies that, for the reconstructed potentials and coupling functions, the blue tilt of inflationary tensor fluctuations can be realized. To achieve a blue tilt for the inflationary tensor fluctuations, a scalar field must climb up its potential before rolling down. We further investigate the properties of propagation of the perturbation modes in Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetime. For the reconstructed configurations that give rise to the blue tilt for the inflationary tensor fluctuations, we show that the ghosts and instabilities are absent with the superluminal propagation speeds for the scalar perturbation modes, whereas the propagation speeds of the tensor perturbations are subluminal. © 2017 American Physical Society