Stability analysis of de Sitter solution in the Starobinsky–Grisaru–Zanon gravity using the dynamical system method

We study whether the so-called Starobinsky–Grisaru–Zanon (SGZ) gravity, which is a novel fourth-order gravity model involving the so-called Grisaru–Zanon term, admits a stable de Sitter solution. First, we derive the corresponding field equations of the SGZ gravity for the spatially flat Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker metric by using an effective method based on the Euler–Lagrange equations. Then, we figure out an exact de Sitter solution of these field equations for the first time. Finally, we point out, through the dynamical system method, that the obtained de Sitter solution is always unstable. Interestingly, although the Starobinsky [Formula: see text] term does not contribute to the value of the obtained de Sitter solution, it does affect the instability of this solution.