Inflation in the presence of a non-minimal coupling

Abstract The qualitative analysis of a Robertson-Walker geometry non-minimally coupled to a scalar field is summarized. It is claimed that a divergenceless effective energy-momentum tensor should be used. In this case, the conformal coupling (ξ= 1 6 ) corresponds to the minimum value of the x -coordinate of a singular line in phase space. To analyse the generality of the occurrence of inflation we calculate the measure of the set of the initial conditions of the solutions leading to a final dust state. We conclude that there is inflation for a wide range of values of ξ.