A technique for natural gauge boson masses

In this work, a novel mechanism for spontaneous symmetry breaking is presented. This mechanism avoids quadratic divergencies and is thus capable of addressing the hierarchy problem in gauge theories. Using the scale-dependent effective action $\Gamma_{k}$ minimally coupled to a gravitational sector, variational parameter setting is applied. This provides a mass and vacuum expectation value as a function of the constants arising in the low scale expansion of Newtons' and cosmological couplings. A comparison with experimental data, such as the Higgs mass, allows putting restrictions on these constants. With this generic approach one can compare with explicit candidates for an effective field theory of gravity. As an example, we use the asymptotic safety scenario, where we find restrictions on the matter content of the theory.