Observational constraints on freezing quintessence in a non-linear $f(R, L_m)$ gravity

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate the freezing quintessence scenario in late-time cosmic expansion using a non-linear $f(R, L_m)$ gravity model, $f(R,L_m)=\frac{R}{2}+L_m^\alpha$, where $\alpha$ is a free parameter. We consider a solution for this model using an appropriate parametrization of the scale factor, and then the model is constrained by observational datasets, including CC, Pantheon+ (SN), and CC+SN+BAO. Our analysis yields results aligning closely with observational data. The Hubble parameter, deceleration parameter, matter-energy density, and EoS parameter of our model exhibit expected trends over cosmic time, supporting its physical validity. Furthermore, the model demonstrates consistency with the $\Lambda$CDM model in late times, displaying freezing behavior in the $\omega - \omega'$ plane and stability against density perturbations. Our findings suggest that the modified $f(R, L_m)$ gravity model is a credible approach to describing the universe's accelerating phase.