Supercooling in radiative symmetry breaking: theory extensions, gravitational wave detection and primordial black holes

Abstract

First-order phase transitions, which take place when the symmetries are predominantly broken (and masses are then generated) through radiative corrections, produce observable gravitational waves and primordial black holes. We provide a model-independent approach that is valid for large-enough supercooling to quantitatively describe these phenomena in terms of few parameters, which are computable once the model is specified. The validity of a previously-proposed approach of this sort is extended here to a larger class of theories. Among other things, we identify regions of the parameter space that correspond to the background of gravitational waves recently detected by pulsar timing arrays (NANOGrav, CPTA, EPTA, PPTA) and others that are either excluded by the observing runs of LIGO and Virgo or within the reach of future gravitational wave detectors. Furthermore, we find regions of the parameter space where primordial black holes produced by large over-densities due to such phase transitions can account for dark matter. Finally, it is shown how this model-independent approach can be applied to specific cases, including a phenomenological completion of the Standard Model with right-handed neutrinos and gauged B - L undergoing radiative symmetry breaking.