Effect of $$R^2$$ on the stability of de Sitter solution of the generalized Einsteinian cubic gravity

Abstract In this paper, we would like to investigate whether a generalized Einsteinian cubic gravity, in which three possible cubic interactions $$\mathcal{P}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mi>P</mml:mi> </mml:math> , $$\mathcal{C}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mi>C</mml:mi> </mml:math> , and $$\mathcal{C}'$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>C</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mo>′</mml:mo> </mml:msup> </mml:math> are treated on an equal footing, admits a de Sitter solution as its stable cosmological solution. As a result, we are able to confirm the existence of the corresponding de Sitter solution for this gravity by solving analytically its field equations. Remarkably, only the cubic interaction $$\mathcal{P}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mi>P</mml:mi> </mml:math> gives rise to the existence of the de Sitter solution. Then, we convert the field equations into the corresponding dynamical system for a stability analysis purpose. A fixed point of this dynamical system is found and shown to be equivalent to the obtained de Sitter solution. However, the perturbed dynamical system turns out to be incomplete, leaving undetermined information of the stability of the fixed point (or equivalently the de Sitter solution). Fortunately, we show that this loophole can be cured once the well-known Starobinsky term $$R^2$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>R</mml:mi> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msup> </mml:math> is introduced into the action of the generalized Einsteinian cubic gravity, despite the fact that it contributes nothing to the value of the de Sitter solution.