Hidden symmetries of power-law inflation

Abstract

A scalar field with an exponential potential has been proposed as a model of inflation (called power-law inflation). Although it admits an exact solution, the integrability of the system has not been shown. We uncover the hidden symmetries behind the system by utilizing the Eisenhart lift of field theories. We find that a conformal Killing vector field in the field space exists only for a particular combination of exponential functions that includes a single exponential potential. This implies the existence of additional conserved quantity and explains the integrability of the system.