Gauss–Bonnet-Induced Symmetry Breaking/Restoration During Inflation

We propose a mechanism for symmetry breaking or restoration that can occur in the middle of inflation, due to the coupling of the Gauss–Bonnet term to a charged scalar. The Gauss–Bonnet coupling results in an inflaton-dependent effective squared mass of the charged scalar, which can change its sign (around the symmetric point) during inflation. This can lead to spontaneous breaking of the symmetry, or to its restoration, if it is initially broken. We show the conditions under which the backreaction of the Gauss–Bonnet coupling on the inflationary background is negligible, such that the predictions of a given inflationary model are unaffected by the symmetry breaking/restoration process.