Quantum corrections to inflation: the importance of RG-running and choosing the optimal RG-scale

We demonstrate the importance of correctly implementing RG running and choosing the RG scale when calculating quantum corrections to inflaton dynamics. We show that such corrections are negligible for single-field inflation, in the sense of not altering the viable region in the ${n}_{s}\ensuremath{-}r$ plane, when imposing Planck constraints on ${A}_{s}$. Surprisingly, this also applies, in a nontrivial way, for an inflaton coupled to additional spectator degrees of freedom. The result relies on choosing the renormalization scale (pseudo-)optimally, thereby avoiding unphysical large logarithmic corrections to the Friedmann equations and large running of the couplings. We find that the viabl…