We investigate the phase transitions of holographic $p$-wave superconductors in ($4+1$)-dimensional Einstein-Yang-Mills-Gauss-Bonnet theories, in a grand canonical ensemble. Turning on the backreaction of the Yang-Mills field, it is found that the condensations of vector order parameter become harder if the Gauss-Bonnet coefficient grows up or the backreaction becomes stronger. In particular, the vector order parameter exhibits the features of first order and second order phase transitions, while only the second order phase transition is observed in the probe limit. We discuss the roles that the Gauss-Bonnet term and the backreaction play in changing the order of phase transition.

• Received 14 January 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.83.066013