Confronting brane inflation with Planck and pre-Planck data

In this paper, we compare brane inflation models with the Planck data and the pre-Planck data (which combines WAMP, ACT, SPT, BAO and H-0 data). The Planck data prefer a spectral index less than unity at more than 5 sigma confidence level, and a running of the spectral index at around 2 sigma confidence level. We find that the KKLMMT model can survive at the level of 2 sigma only if the parameter beta (the conformal coupling between the Hubble parameter and the inflaton) is less than O(10(-3)), which indicates a certain level of fine-tuning. The IR DBI model can provide a slightly larger negative running of spectral index and red tilt, but in order to be consistent with the non-Gaussianity constraints from Planck, its parameter also needs fine-tuning at some level.