Inflaton

The inflaton field is a hypothetical scalar field that is theorized to drive cosmic inflation in the very early universe.The field, originally theorized by Alan Guth, 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 inflaton field is a hypothetical scalar field that is theorized to drive cosmic inflation in the very early universe.The field, originally theorized by Alan Guth, 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: In quantum field theory, a vacuum state or vacuum is a state of quantum fields which is at locally minimal potential energy. Quantum particles are excitations which deviate from a minimal potential energy state, therefore a vacuum state has no particles in it. Depending on the specifics of a quantum field theory, it can have more than one vacuum state. Different vacua, despite all 'being empty' (having no particles), will generally have different vacuum energy. Quantum field theory stipulates that the pressure of the vacuum energy is always negative and equal in magnitude to its energy density.