https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-016-4249-8
Regular Article - Theoretical Physics
Higher dimensional loop quantum cosmology
1
Department of Physics, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China
2
Institute for Quantum Gravity, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstraße 7/B2, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
* e-mail: xiangdong.zhang@gravity.fau.de
Received:
1
February
2016
Accepted:
5
July
2016
Published online:
13
July
2016
Loop quantum cosmology (LQC) is the symmetric sector of loop quantum gravity. In this paper, we generalize the structure of loop quantum cosmology to the theories with arbitrary spacetime dimensions. The isotropic and homogeneous cosmological model in 
dimensions is quantized by the loop quantization method. Interestingly, we find that the underlying quantum theories are divided into two qualitatively different sectors according to spacetime dimensions. The effective Hamiltonian and modified dynamical equations of dimensional LQC are obtained. Moreover, our results indicate that the classical big bang singularity is resolved in arbitrary spacetime dimensions by a quantum bounce. We also briefly discuss the similarities and differences between the dimensional model and the 
dimensional one. Our model serves as a first example of higher dimensional loop quantum cosmology and offers the possibility to investigate quantum gravity effects in higher dimensional cosmology.
© The Author(s), 2016
