{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/62645"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/62645","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Inflationary cosmology and fundamental physics","abstract":"This thesis is a collection of several papers at the interface between cosmology, particle physics, and field theory. In the first half, we examine topics that are directly related to inflation: axions, string theory, and non-minimally coupled fields. In particular, we constrain the allowed parameter space of inflationary axion cosmology, identifying a classic window and an anthropic window; we discuss inflation in string theory, proving a no-go theorem for a class of string models; and we examine the quantum field theory governing inflation driven by non-minimally coupled fields, which is relevant to Higgs-inflation. In the second half, we examine other topics: oscillons, entanglement entropy, and the Casimir effect. In particular, we compute the quantum decay of oscillons, finding it to be dramatically different to the classical decay; we establish finite contributions to the entanglement entropy between a pair of regions, including a finite area law; and we compute the Casimir force in a closed geometry, finding an attractive force and invalidating claims of repulsion.","abstract_html":"This thesis is a collection of several papers at the interface between cosmology, particle physics, and field theory. In the first half, we examine topics that are directly related to inflation: axions, string theory, and non-minimally coupled fields. In particular, we constrain the allowed parameter space of inflationary axion cosmology, identifying a classic window and an anthropic window; we discuss inflation in string theory, proving a no-go theorem for a class of string models; and we examine the quantum field theory governing inflation driven by non-minimally coupled fields, which is relevant to Higgs-inflation. In the second half, we examine other topics: oscillons, entanglement entropy, and the Casimir effect. In particular, we compute the quantum decay of oscillons, finding it to be dramatically different to the classical decay; we establish finite contributions to the entanglement entropy between a pair of regions, including a finite area law; and we compute the Casimir force in a closed geometry, finding an attractive force and invalidating claims of repulsion.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Hertzberg, Mark Peter"],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Physics.","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Frank Wilczek and Max Tegmark."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010","date_published":"2010","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:11Z","subjects":["Physics."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission."],"rights_urls":["http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/62645","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Frank Wilczek and Max Tegmark."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Physics."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.other","label":"Dc Contributor Other","values":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 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In particular, we compute the quantum decay of oscillons, finding it to be dramatically different to the classical decay; we establish finite contributions to the entanglement entropy between a pair of regions, including a finite area law; and we compute the Casimir force in a closed geometry, finding an attractive force and invalidating claims of repulsion."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Inflationary cosmology and fundamental physics"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Frank Wilczek and Max Tegmark."],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Physics."],"dc:contributor.other":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Physics."],"dc:creator":["Hertzberg, Mark Peter"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2011-05-09T15:13:36Z"],"dc:date.available":["2011-05-09T15:13:36Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2010"],"dc:description":["Thesis (Ph. 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