de Broglie–Bohm FRW universes in quantum string cosmology

The purpose of this paper is to establish possible implications of the de Broglie–Bohm interpretation of quantum mechanics towards superstring cosmological dynamics. In this context, we investigate spatially flat FRW models retrieved from scalar-tensor theories of gravity with a cosmological constant present in the gravitational sector. These models are further characterized by the presence of different types of de Broglie–Bohm quantum potential terms. These are constructed from various classes of wave packets formed by superpositions of Bessel functions of different imaginary orders. As far as pre-big-bang scenarios are concerned, we find that quantum potentials yield varied types of an amplified influence of the singular classical boundary into the FRW early dynamics. Some consequences of the de Broglie–Bohm program towards pre-big-bang inflation and the graceful exit problem are then discussed. Other cosmological scenarios are also studied by means of modulation effects extracted from additional wave packets. We subsequently obtain a broader set of new solutions. Among the new solutions we find that they could still be related by duality properties, although a separation into pre- and post-big-bang classes is less clear. Some solutions show a cyclical behavior. Inflationary solutions can be identified and some of their dynamical features are subsequently analyzed. In particular, we discuss some of the differences between string inspired inflationary cosmologies with quantum potentials. The results suggest that de Broglie–Bohm quantum gravitational terms slow down inflation, constituting an effect similar to others previously described in the literature.