Type I hilltop inflation and the refined swampland criteria

Abstract

In this paper, I show that type I hilltop inflation under the current observational constraints could have ${M}_{P}^{2}\frac{{V}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}}{V}\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{-}\mathcal{O}({10}^{\ensuremath{-}2})$ in the parameter space, which is in tension with the refined swampland criteria. On the other hand, ${M}_{P}^{2}\frac{{V}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}}{V}\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{-}\mathcal{O}(1)$ can be achieved if type I hilltop inflation on the brane is considered.