Gravitational Particle Creation in a Stiff Matter Dominated Universe

Abstract: A scenario for gravitational particle creation in a stiff matter dominated flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe is presented. The primary creation of scalar particles is calculated using quantum field theory in curved spacetime and it is found to be strongly dependent on the scalar mass and the expansion parameter of the universe. The particle creation is most effective for a very massive scalar field and large expansion parameter. We apply the results to cosmology and calculate an upper bound for the equilibrium temperature of the secondary particles created by the scalar field decay.