Higgs boson in the Brans-Dicke theory and the de sitter universe

Abstract

We consider a Higgs boson field coupled to Brans-Dicke gravity and calculate its contributions to the energy density and pressure in the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetime. We seek de Sitter solutions for the cosmic scale factor with well-incorporated Higgs and Brans-Dicke fields and investigate the stability properties of the solutions by using a linear approximation. We discuss the possibility that the late-time acceleration and the inflationary era of our universe can be described by means of scalar fields with self-interactions and a Yukawa potential.