Hill crossing during preheating after hilltop inflation

Understand

In 'hilltop inflation', inflation takes place when the inflaton field slowly rolls from close to a maximum of its potential (i.e.

• the 'hilltop') towards its minimum.
• When the inflaton potential is associated with a phase transition, possible topological defects produced during this phase transition, such as domain walls, are efficiently diluted during inflation.
• It is typically assumed that they also do not reform after inflation, i.e.