Cosmic Structure Formation in a Viable Power-Law f(R) Gravity Model: Growth Dynamics, Stability, and Observational Signatures

Abstract

We investigate the evolution of cosmic structures in the power-law modified gravity model $f(R)=R+R^{1+δ}/R_c^δ$, where the dimensionless parameter $δ$ characterizes deviations from General Relativity. The background cosmological dynamics and the evolution of linear matter density perturbations are studied within the framework of metric $f(R)$ gravity. The modified perturbation equation is derived by introducing an effective gravitational coupling associated with the additional scalar degree of freedom, and the evolution of the growth factor, logarithmic growth rate, growth index, and the observable quantity $fσ_8(z)$ are investigated. The results show that the curvature correction enhances the growth of matter perturbations while remaining compatible with the observed late-time accelerated expansion for suitable values of the model parameter. The theoretical viability of the model is established through the ghost-free condition, Dolgov--Kawasaki stability criterion, positive scalaron mass, stable de Sitter solution, and chameleon screening mechanism. Comparison with representative viable $f(R)$ gravity models shows that the present theory achieves a consistent cosmological evolution with a single deviation parameter. The predicted modifications in the growth of structures and the effective gravitational coupling provide observable signatures that can be tested by forthcoming large-scale structure and weak-lensing surveys, providing a means to test curvature-induced modifications of gravity.