Supersymmetry breaking by higher dimension operators

Abstract

We discuss a supersymmetry breaking mechanism for N=1 theories triggered by higher dimensional operators. We consider such operators for real linear and chiral spinor superfields that break supersymmetry and reduce to the Volkov–Akulov action. We also consider supersymmetry breaking induced by a higher dimensional operator of a nonminimal scalar (complex linear) multiplet. The latter differs from the standard chiral multiplet in its auxiliary sector, which contains, in addition to the complex scalar auxiliary of a chiral superfield, a complex vector and two spinors auxiliaries. By adding an appropriate higher dimension operator, the scalar auxiliary may acquire a nonzero vev triggering spontaneous supersymmetry breaking. We find that the spectrum of the theory in the supersymmetry breaking vacuum consists of a free chiral multiplet and a constraint chiral superfield describing the goldstino. Interestingly, the latter turns out to be one of the auxiliary fermions, which becomes dynamical in the supersymmetry breaking vacuum. In all cases we are considering here, there is no sgoldstino mode and thus the goldstino does not have a superpartner. The sgoldstino is decoupled since the goldstino is one of the auxiliaries, which is propagating only in the supersymmetry breaking vacuum. We also point out how higher dimension operators introduce a potential for the propagating scalar of the theory

On the Starobinsky model of inflation from supergravity

“…In addition, the theory (55) has been studied in Refs. [22,23], where now the general functions in the higher derivative gauge sector are fixed by the form of the integrated out L 0 . The component form reads (after rescaling V → 2V )…”

“…To study the implications of the corrections on the inflaton potential we look again at the minimum C =C = b = 0 with the redefinition (22). The inflaton field φ will now have a potential …”

From linear to non-linear SUSY and back again

“…First, we have studied only chiral and vector superfields as the source of supersymmetry breaking, which does not exhaust all the possibilities. It is known, for example, that supersymmetry breaking can be sourced also by linear superfields [52][53][54]. One could then investigate what are the general properties of this other class of models, in the spirit of the presentation we gave in this work.…”

Complex linear superfields, supercurrents and supergravities

“…This model has been studied in [8][9][10] where it has been demonstrated that the equations of motions have several vacuum solutions including one which breaks supersymmetry. For that reason it would be interesting to find the supercurrents for this theory and the list of supergravities it can be coupled to.…”

“…It has recently become clear that this is not the case since in certain theories with higher derivative terms some of the auxiliary components can become propagating and thus change the degrees of freedom of the theory. This fact motivated the use of complex linear superfield as a prime candidate for various phenomenological models regarding spontaneous supersymmetry breaking [6][7][8][9][10][11] that is, so far, much less understood than the standard mechanisms. For that reason it would be desirable to study aspects of theories of complex linear superfields.…”