Thick branes and fermion localization in five-dimensional $$f(T,T_G)$$ gravity

Abstract We investigate thick-brane configurations in five-dimensional $$f(T,T_G)$$ f ( T , T G ) modified teleparallel gravity. In five dimensions, the torsional Gauss–Bonnet invariant $$T_G$$ T G contributes dynamically, leading to genuinely new effects even at linear order. Within a warped geometry supported by a scalar field, we construct explicit solutions and show that the $$T_G$$ T G sector significantly modifies the brane structure. In particular, the coupling parameter controls the deformation of the warp factor and energy density; for sufficiently negative values it can induce a genuine two-peak internal structure. We further analyze the localization of spin-1/2 fermions via a Yukawa coupling. For odd Yukawa functions the system admits a normalizable chiral zero mode, while the opposite chirality remains delocalized. The massive Kaluza–Klein spectrum is strongly affected by the torsional Gauss–Bonnet term, which modifies the effective potentials and leads to the appearance of resonant quasi-localized states. Our results show that $$f(T,T_G)$$ f ( T , T G ) gravity provides a richer framework for braneworld models, where torsional higher-order corrections play a key role in shaping both geometry and field localization.