Fermion field as inflaton, dark energy and dark matter

Abstract

The search for constituents that can explain the periods of accelerating expansion of the Universe is a fundamental topic in cosmology. In this context, we investigate how fermionic fields minimally and non-minimally coupled with the gravitational field may be responsible for accelerated regimes during the evolution of the Universe. The forms of the potential and coupling of the model are determined through the technique of the Noether symmetry for two cases. The first case comprises a Universe filled only with the fermion field. Cosmological solutions are straightforwardly obtained for this case and an exponential inflation mediated by the fermion field is possible with a non-minimal coupling. The second case takes account of the contributions of radiation and baryonic matter in the presence of the fermion field. In this case the fermion field plays the role of dark energy and dark matter, and when a non-minimal coupling is allowed, it mediates a power-law inflation.