Symmetry breaking with a slant: Topological defects after an inhomogeneousquench

We show that in second-order phase transformations that are induced by an i nhomogeneous quench the density of topological defects is drastically suppr essed as the velocity with which the quench propagates falls below a thresh old velocity. This threshold is approximately given by the ratio of the hea ling length to relaxation time at freeze-out, which is the instant when the critical slowing down results in a transition from the adiabatic to the im pulse behavior of the order parameter.