# Inflaton condensate fragmentation: Analytical conditions and application to $\alpha$-attractor models

## TL;DR

This paper derives analytical conditions for inflaton condensate fragmentation due to self-interactions and applies these to $ ext{alpha}$-attractor models, showing stability depends on the parameter $ ext{alpha}$, with potential cosmological implications.

## Contribution

It provides the first analytical criteria for inflaton condensate stability considering self-interactions and applies these to specific $ ext{alpha}$-attractor inflation models.

## Key findings

- Condensate stability depends on the value of alpha.
- For the T-model with n=1, instability occurs when alpha is less than approximately 10^{-4}.
- Unstable condensates may lead to an oscillon-dominated post-inflationary era.

## Abstract

We study the stability of an inflaton condensate in the presence of attractive inflaton self-interactions, in order to determine analytical conditions on the self-interaction couplings under which the condensate undergoes fragmentation. As an application of our results, we consider the stability of the inflaton condensate in $\alpha$-attractor inflation. We show that the stability of the condensate depends upon the value of $\alpha$. For the T-model with $n = 1$, we find that it is unstable for $\alpha \lesssim 10^{-4}$. In this case it is expected that inflation will be followed by an oscillon-dominated era.