Relic gravitational waves
  The next generation of gravitational wave detectors holds out the prospect of detecting a stochastic gravitational background generated in the very early universe. In this article, we review the various cosmological processes which can lead to such a background, including quantum fluctuations during inflation, bubble collisions in a first-order phase transition and the decay of a network of cosmic strings. We conclude that signals from strongly first-order phase transitions, possibily at the end of inflation, and networks fo local cosmic strings are within the sensitivity of proposed detectors. However, backgrouds from slow-roll inflation and the electroweak phase transition are too weak. 
R.A. Battye (Imperial) and E.P.S. Shellard (DAMTP)