ACT DR6 Insights on the Inflationary Attractor models and Reheating

Abstract

We investigate the observational constraints on $\alpha$-attractor inflationary models and their post-inflationary reheating dynamics in light of the latest CMB data from ACT DR6 combined with Planck18, BICEP/$Keck$ 2018, and DESI (collectively denoted P-ACT-LB-BK18). Focusing on both E and T type attractor potentials, we analyze how inflationary observables namely the scalar spectral index $n_s$ and the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ are indirectly influenced by reheating parameters such as the reheating temperature $T_{\text{RH}}$, the inflaton equation-of-state $w_\phi$, and the inflaton's couplings to Starndard Model particles. We incorporate indirect constraints from the overproduction of primordial gravitational waves (PGWs), particularly via $\Delta N_{\rm eff}$ bounds on BBN, which become significant for stiff post-inflationary dynamics. Our results show that E-models permit a wide range of reheating scenarios, including matter-like reheating ($w_\phi = 0$), while T-models are viable only for $w_\phi \gtrsim 0.44$. We derive bounds on inflaton-Standard Model couplings for both decay and scattering channels and identify parameter regimes compatible with recent ACT data for successful reheating. These findings establish a robust connection between inflationary theory, thermal history, and particle phenomenology, and provide predictive targets for future CMB missions.