We construct the superaction for the $T\overline{T}$ deformation of 2D free $\mathcal{N}=(1,1)$ supersymmetric model with a deformed superfield. We show that the $\mathcal{N}=(1,1)$ off-shell supersymmetry in the free theory is deformed under the $T\overline{T}$ deformation, which is incorporated in the deformed superfield. We interpret this superaction as an effective action of the Goldstone superfield for the partial spontaneous breaking of $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ supersymmetry to $\mathcal{N}=(1,1)$. We show that the unbroken and broken supersymmetry of the effective superaction corresponds to the off-shell $\mathcal{N}=(1,1)$ supersymmetry and the off-shell fermi global non-linear symmetry in the $T\overline{T}$-deformed theory, respectively. We demonstrate that this effective superaction can be obtained by the non-linear realization of the partially broken global supersymmetry~(PBGS) from the coset superspace. Furthermore, we reproduce the superaction by the constrained superfield method accompanied by a field redefinition.
We propose a manifestly supersymmetric generalization of the solvable $T \overline{T}$ deformation of two-dimensional field theories. For theories with $(1,1)$ and $(0,1)$ supersymmetry, the deformation is defined by adding a term to the superspace Lagrangian built from a superfield containing the supercurrent. We prove that the energy levels of the resulting deformed theory are determined exactly in terms of those of the undeformed theory. This supersymmetric deformation extends to higher dimensions, where we conjecture that it might provide a higher-dimensional analogue of $T \overline{T}$, …
In 2 + 1 dimensions, in the presence of gravity, supersymmetry can ensure the vanishing of the cosmological constant without requiring the equality of bose and fermi masses.
The $T \overline{T}$ operator provides a universal irrelevant deformation of two-dimensional quantum field theories with remarkable properties, including connections to both string theory and holography beyond $\mathrm{AdS}$ spacetimes. In particular, it appears that a $T \overline{T}$-deformed theory is a kind of new structure, which is neither a local quantum field theory nor a full-fledged string theory, but which is nonetheless under some analytic control. On the other hand, supersymmetry is a beautiful extension of Poincaré symmetry which relates bosonic and fermionic degrees of freedom. …
I review the salient features of three classes of open-string models with broken supersymmetry. These suffice to exhibit, in relatively simple settings, the two phenomena of ``brane supersymmetry'' and ``brane supersymmetry breaking''. In the first class of models, to lowest order supersymmetry is broken both in the closed and in the open sectors. In the second class of models, to lowest order supersymmetry is broken in the closed sector, but is {\it exact} in the open sector, at least for the low-lying modes, and often for entire towers of string excitations. Finally, in the third class of mo…
It was suggested by Sugimoto that there is a new supersymmetry breaking mechanism by an orientifold plane which is oppositely charged as the usual one. Here we prove the trace formula for this system to show that the supersymmetry is broken not explicitly but spontaneously. We also discuss the possibility of interpreting the orientifold plane as an intrinsic object of the superstring theory.
The Narain lattice construction of string compactifications is generalized to include spontaneously broken supersymmetry. Consistency conditions from modular invariance and Lorentz symmetry are solved in full generality. This framework incorporates models where supersymmetry breaking is inversely proportional to the radii of compact dimensions. The enhanced lattice description, however, might allow for models with a different geometrical or even non-geometrical interpretation.
We investigate the nonlinear realization of partially broken $N$=2 global supersymmetry in the D=2 and 3 anti de-Sitter (AdS) space. We particularly study Nambu-Goldstone degrees of freedom for the $N$=2 AdS supersymmetry partially broken down to $N$=1 AdS supersymmetry, where we observe a NG fermion of the broken supersymmetry and a NG boson of the internal symmetry which form a NG multiplet. Based on the nonlinear realization method, we construct a superspace formalism for 2 and 3 dimensional AdS space and evaluate the covariant derivatives and supervielbeins for the AdS superspace. Finally …
Some general aspects of supersymmetry and supergravity are briefly reviewed with emphasis on Noether supercurrents and their role in the discussion of supersymmetry breaking.
A generalization of the Akulov-Volkov effective Lagrangian governing the self interactions of the Nambu-Goldstone fermions associated with spontaneously broken extended supersymmetry as well as their coupling to matter is presented and scrutinized. The resulting currents associated with R-symmetry, supersymmetry and space-time translations are constructed and seen to form a supermultiplet structure.
We derive the mass formulae for ${\cal N}=1$, $D=4$ matter-coupled Supergravity for broken (and unbroken) Supersymmetry in curved space-time. These formulae are applicable to de Sitter configurations as is the case for inflation. For unbroken Supersymmetry in anti-de Sitter (AdS) one gets the mass relations modified by the AdS curvature. We compute the mass relations both for the potential and its derivative non-vanishing.
We study the vacuum structure of the U(N) gauge model with partially broken N=2 supersymmetry. From the analysis of the classical vacua of this model, we point out that in addition to the ordinary N=1 supersymmetric vacua, there are vacua with negative gauge coupling constants, which preserve another N=1 supersymmetry. These latter vacua can be analyzed by using SUSY/non-SUSY duality which is recently proposed by Aganagic, Beem, Seo and Vafa. A dual description of these in UV is U(N) gauge theory where the supersymmetry is broken by spurion superfields. Following them, we see that there are su…
We show that the tensor gauge multiplet of N=1 supersymmetry can serve as the Goldstone multiplet for partially broken rigid N=2 supersymmetry. We exploit a remarkable analogy with the Goldstone-Maxwell multiplet of hep-th/9608177 to find its nonlinear transformation law and its invariant Goldstone action. We demonstrate that the tensor multiplet has two dualities. The first transforms it into the chiral Goldstone multiplet; the other leaves it invariant.
We present a Z_2 x Z_2 four dimensional orientifold in which supersymmetry is broken by a temperature-like Scherk-Schwarz mechanism. As usual in this type of models, at the tree-level the breaking affects only the branes tangent to the direction involved by the SS deformation, and it can propagate only through radiative corrections to other sectors, where the gauge group is broken. The result is a non-chiral model with gauge group Usp(16)^2 x Usp(8)^4.
The behaviour of the chiral condensates in the SU(2) gauge theory with broken N=2 supersymmetry is reviewed. The calculation of monopole, dyon, and charge condensates is described. It is shown that the monopole and charge condensates vanish at the Argyres-Douglas point where the monopole and charge vacua collide. This phenomenon is interpreted as a deconfinement of electric and magnetic charges at the Argyres-Douglas point.
We argue that orientable open string theory without GSO projection has N=2 space-time supersymmetry in a spontaneously broken phase. The arguments are presented both in Neveu-Schwarz-Ramond and Green-Schwarz formulations. The formal but explicit supersymmetry transformation law for string field is given in the framework of Witten's open string field theory. Our results support a fundamental assumption which lies behind the topological construction of stable D-branes starting from the unstable systems of D9-branes.
We use nonlinear realizations to describe the spontaneous breaking of $N=2$ supersymmetry to $N=1$ in four dimensions. We identify the Goldstone multiplet with an $N=1$ chiral superfield, and show that chiral $N=1$ matter is consistent with the partially broken $N=2$ supersymmetry. We find that the chiral matter can be in any representation of the gauge group; no mirror particles are required. We present the Goldstone action and the general couplings to $N=1$ matter to the first nontrivial order in the scale of symmetry breaking.
Classical and quantum symmetries of super $p$-branes preserving exotic 3/4 fraction of $N=1 D=4$ global supersymmetry are studied. Classical realization of the algebra of global and world-volume symmetries is constructed and its quantum generalizations are analyzed. Established is that the status of the conformal supersymmetry $OSp(1|8)$ as a proper quantum symmetry of brane depends both on the choice of its vacuum state and the associated ordering of $\hat{\cal Q}$ and $\hat{\cal P}$ operators.
I review recent work on computing radiative corrections to non-abelian gauge couplings in four-dimensional heterotic vacua with spontaneously broken supersymmetry. The prototype models can be considered as K3 surfaces with additional Scherk-Schwarz fluxes inducing the spontaneous $\mathcal{N}=2 \to \mathcal{N}=0$ breaking. Remarkably, although the gauge thresholds are no longer BPS protected and receive contributions also from the excitations of the RNS sector, their difference is still exactly computable and universal. Based on a talk presented at the DISCRETE 2014 conference at King's Colleg…
It is known that the fermionic shift symmetry of the N=1, U(N) gauge model with a superpotential of an adjoint chiral superfield is replaced by the second (spontaneously broken) supersymmetry in the N=2, U(N) gauge model with a prepotential and Fayet-Iliopoulos parameters. Based on a diagrammatic analysis, we demonstrate how the well-known form of the effective superpotential in the former model is modified in the latter. A set of two equations on the one-point functions stating the Konishi anomaly is modified accordingly.
The N=1 superspace generalization of the 3-brane action in 6 dimensions with partially broken N=2 supersymmetry can be constructed using N=1 chiral, complex linear, or real linear superfields. The physical scalars of these multiplets give equivalent descriptions of the two transverse coordinates. The second supersymmetry is realized nonlinearly in all these actions. We derive the superspace brane actions and their nonlinear supersymmetry for both kinds of linear superfields when we break N=2 supersymmetry spontaneously. This breaking is realized in the free action of hypermultiplets that live …
We examine spontaneously broken N=2 supersymmetry in four dimensions and associate a spinor superfield with each Goldstino via a finite supersymmetry transformation with parameters that are the Grassmann coordinates of N=2 superspace. Making use of a special choice of coset parametrization allows us to develop a version of nonlinearly realized N=2 supersymmetry for which the associated Goldstino superfields are defined on harmonic superspace, thereby providing a natural mechanism for construction of a Goldstino action. The corresponding superfield Lagrangian is an O(4) multiplet. This property…
It is proved that, even if the gauge symmetry has been broken spontaneously at tree level, supersymmetry would never break through any finite orders of perturbation if it is not broken classically.
The first part of this thesis is a general introduction to the bosonic and fermionic string theory, to the concept of D brane and to string dualities. A discussion of anomalies cancellation closes the chapter. The second part of the thesis reviews the basics of orientifold and orbifold constructions and the Scherk-Schwarz mechanism of supersymmetry breaking. The last part starts with an introduction to standard cosmology and inflation. Alternatives to inflation inspired from string theory and time dependent orbifolds are discussed. Finally time dependent solutions of non-supersymmetric strings…
We employ the non-linear realization techniques to relate the N=1 chiral, and the N=2 vector multiplets to the Goldstone spin 1/2 superfield arising from partial supersymmetry breaking of N=2 and N=3 respectively. In both cases, we obtain a family of non-linear transformation laws realizing an extra supersymmetry. In the N=2 case, we find an invariant action which is the low energy limit of the supersymmetric Born-Infeld theory expected to describe a D3-brane in six dimensions.
We propose a systematic way of constructing $N=2, d=4$ superfield Born-Infeld action with a second nonlinearly realized N=2 supersymmetry. The latter, together with the manifest N=2 supersymmetry, form a central-charge extended $N=4, d=4$ supersymmetry. We embed the Goldstone-Maxwell N=2 multiplet into an infinite-dimensional off-shell supermultiplet of this N=4 supersymmetry and impose an infinite set of covariant constraints which eliminate all extra N=2 superfields through the Goldstone-Maxwell one. The Born-Infeld superfield Lagrangian density is one of these composite superfields. The con…
We consider the role of supersymmetry breaking soft terms that are present in generalized Narain compactifications of heterotic string theory, in which local supersymmetry is spontaneously broken, with gravitino masses being inversely proportional to the radii of compact dimensions. Such compactifications and their variants, are thought to be the natural application of the Scherk-Schwarz mechanism to string theory. We show that in the case where this mechanism leads to spontaneous breaking of N=4, d=4 local supersymmetry, the limit κgoes to zero, yields a 2-parameter class of soft terms whose …
Simultaneous nonlinear realizations of spontaneously broken supersymmetry in conjunction with other spontaneous and/or explicitly broken symmetries including R symmetry, global chiral symmetry, dilatations and the superconformal symmetries is reviewed.
We study non-topological, charged planar walls (Q-walls) in the context of a particle physics model with supersymmetry broken by low-energy gauge mediation. Analytical properties are derived within the flat-potential approximation for the flat-direction raising potential, while a numerical study is performed using the full two-loop supersymmetric potential. We analyze the energetics of finite-size Q-walls and compare them to Q-balls, non-topological solitons possessing spherical symmetry and arising in the same supersymmetric model. This allow us to draw a phase diagram in the charge-transvers…
Fermionic modes of D-instanton wormholes from broken local supersymmetry
Nambu Yoichiro Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics (NITEP), Osaka Metropolitan University（大阪公立大学）；College of Arts and Sciences, J. F. Oberlin University
The partial spontaneous breaking of rigid N=2 supersymmetry implies the existence of a massless N=1 Goldstone multiplet. In this paper we show that the spin-(1/2,1) Maxwell multiplet can play this role. We construct its full nonlinear transformation law and find the invariant Goldstone action. The spin-1 piece of the action turns out to be of Born-Infeld type, and the full superfield action is duality invariant. This leads us to conclude that the Goldstone multiplet can be associated with a D-brane solution of superstring theory for p=3. In addition, we find that N=1 chirality is preserved in …
We explicitly construct N=1 worldvolume supersymmetric minimal off-shell Goldstone superfield actions for two options of 1/2 partial spontaneous breaking of AdS5 supersymmetry SU(2,2|1) corresponding to its nonlinear realizations in the supercosets with the AdS5 and AdS5 X S1 bosonic parts. The relevant Goldstone supermultiplets are comprised, respectively, by improved tensor and chiral N=1 superfields. The second action is obtained from the first one by duality transformation. In the bosonic sectors they yield static-gauge Nambu-Goto actions for L3-brane on AdS5 and scalar 3-brane on AdS5 X S…
We consider the matter induced part of the effective superpotential of N=2, U(N) gauge model in which N=2 supersymmetry is spontaneously broken to N=1, by using the properties of the chiral ring and the generalized Konishi anomaly equations derived in our previous paper arXiv:0704.1060. It is shown that the effective superpotential is related to the planar free energy of the matrix model by a formula which consists of two parts -- the well-known part due to Dijkgraaf-Vafa and the part that acts as a deformation of the couplings. These couplings are those of the original bare prepotential in th…
We use type I string models with supersymmetry broken by compactification (à la Scherk-Schwarz) in order to test the weak gravity conjecture in the presence of runaway potentials in a perturbative string theory setting. For a finite value of the supersymmetry breaking radius there is a runaway potential, which is the only possibility if one accepts the non-existence of de Sitter vacua. Although the weak gravity conjecture is valid in the decompactification limit, for fixed values of the radius we show that there are short-ranged attractive D1 brane-brane interactions. We argue however that at …
The supersymmetric generalization of dilatations in the presence of the dilaton is defined. This is done by defining the supersymmetric dilaton geometry which is motivated by the supersymmetric volume preserving diffeomorphisms. The resulting model is classical superconformal field theory with an additional dilaton-axion supermultiplet coupled to the supersymmetric gauge theory, where the dilaton-axion couplings are nonrenormalizable. The possibility of spontaneous scale symmetry breaking is investigated in this context. There are three different types of vacua with broken scale symmetry depen…
The tachyon-free nonsupersymmetric string theories in ten dimensions have dilaton tadpoles which forbid a Minkowski vacuum. We determine the maximally symmetric backgrounds for the $USp(32)$ Type I string and the $SO(16)\times SO(16)$ heterotic string. The static solutions exhibit nine dimensional Poincaré symmetry and have finite 9D Planck and Yang-Mills constants. The low energy geometry is given by a ten dimensional manifold with two boundaries separated by a finite distance which suggests a spontaneous compactification of the ten dimensional string theory.
We analyse a class of four-dimensional heterotic ground states with N=2 space-time supersymmetry. From the ten-dimensional perspective, such models can be viewed as compactifications on a six-dimensional manifold with SU(2) holonomy, which is locally but not globally K3 x T^2. The maximal N=4 supersymmetry is spontaneously broken to N=2. The masses of the two massive gravitinos depend on the (T,U) moduli of T^2. We evaluate the one-loop threshold corrections of gauge and R^2 couplings and we show that they fall in several universality classes, in contrast to what happens in usual K3 x T^2 comp…
Scherk-Schwarz compactification in string theory can be defined as orbifolding by an R symmetry, a symmetry that acts differently on bosons and fermions. Such a symmetry can arise in many situations, including toroidal and orbifold compactifications, as well as smooth Calabi-Yau spaces. If the symmetry acts freely then for large radius there are no tachyons in the spectrum. We focus mainly on stabilization by fluxes, and give examples with all moduli stabilized where the coupling is small and the internal manifold is large. Such models appear to be perturbatively stable with supersymmetry brok…
We consider generic MQCD configurations with matter described by semi-infinte D4-branes and softly broken supersymmetry. We show that the matter sector does not introduce supersymmetry breaking parameters so that the most relevant supersymmetry breaking operator at low energies is the gaugino mass term. By studying the run-away properties of these models in the decoupling limit of the adjoint matter, we argue that these softly broken MQCD configurations fail to capture the infrared physics of QCD at scales below the gaugino mass scale.
It is shown that supersymmetry is spontaneously broken in certain three-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories, by using the s-rule in their string theory realization as brane configurations. In particular, supersymmetry is broken in N=3 supersymmetric Yang-Mills-Chern-Simons theory with gauge group SU(n) and CS coefficient k, as well as in its N=2 and N=1 deformations, when n>|k|. In addition, supersymmetry is broken in the N=1 mass deformation of N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SU(n) and one matter multiplet when n>1. In the latter case the breaking is induced by an …
We consider chiral condensates in SU(2) gauge theory with broken N=2 supersymmetry and one fundamental flavor in the matter sector. Matter and gaugino condensates are determined by integrating out the adjoint field. The only nonperturbative input is the Affleck-Dine-Seiberg one-instanton superpotential. The results are consistent with those obtained by the `integrating in' procedure. We then calculate monopole, dyon, and charge condensates using the Seiberg-Witten approach. The key observation is that the monopole and charge condensates vanish at the Argyres-Douglas point where the monopole an…
Semiclassical methods provide important tools for approximating solutions in quantum mechanics. In several cases these methods are intriguingly exact rather than approximate, as has been shown by direct calculations on particular systems. In this paper we prove that the long-conjectured exactness of the supersymmetry-based semiclassical quantization condition for broken supersymmetry is a consequence of the additive shape invariance for the corresponding potentials.
We consider chiral condensates in SU(2) gauge theory with broken N=2 supersymmetry. The matter sector contains an adjoint multiplet and one fundamental flavor. Matter and gaugino condensates are determined by integrating out the adjoint field. The only nonperturbative input is the Affleck-Dine-Seiberg (ADS) superpotential generated by one instanton plus the Konishi anomaly. These results are consistent with those obtained by the `integrating in' procedure, including a reproduction of the Seiberg-Witten curve from the ADS superpotential. We then calculate monopole, dyon, and charge condensates …
We define a manifestly supersymmetric version of the $T \overline{T}$ deformation appropriate for a class of $(0+1)$-dimensional theories with $\mathcal{N} = 1$ or $\mathcal{N} = 2$ supersymmetry, including one presentation of the super-Schwarzian theory which is dual to JT supergravity. These deformations are written in terms of Noether currents associated with translations in superspace, so we refer to them collectively as $f(\mathcal{Q})$ deformations. We provide evidence that the $f(\mathcal{Q})$ deformations of $\mathcal{N} = 1$ and $\mathcal{N} = 2$ theories are on-shell equivalent to th…
Applying the recently obtained results on the renormalization of soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters, we investigate the infrared behaviour of the softly broken supersymmetric QCD as well as its dual theory in the conformal window. Under general assumptions on $β$-functions, it is shown that the soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters asymptotically vanish in the infrared limit so that superconformal symmetry in softly broken supersymmetric QCD and in its dual theory revives at the infrared fixed point, provided the soft scalar masses satisfy certain renormalization group invariant relations…
We calculate the exact values of the holomorphic observables of {\cal N}=4 supersymmetric SU(N) Yang-Mills theory deformed by mass terms which preserve {\cal N}=1 SUSY. These include the chiral condensates in each massive vacuum of the theory as well as the central charge which determines the tension of BPS saturated domain walls interpolating between these vacua. Several unexpected features emerge in the large-N limit, including anomalous modular properties under an SL(2,Z) duality group which acts on a complexification of the 't Hooft coupling λ=g^{2}N/4π. We discuss our results in the conte…
We enlarge the usual D=3 N=1 supergraph techniques to include the case of (explicitly or spontaneously) broken supersymmetric gauge theories. To illustrate the utility of these techniques, we calculate the two-loop effective potential of the SQED3 by using the tadpole and the vacuum bubble methods. In these methods, to investigate the possibility of supersymmetry breaking, the superfields must be shifted by $θ$ dependent classical superfields (vacuum expectation values), what implies in the explicit breakdown of supersymmetry in the intermediate steps of the calculation. Nevertheless, after st…
We examine the supersymmetric non-linear O(N) sigma model with a soft breaking term. In two dimensions, we found that the mass difference between supersymmetric partner fields vanishes accidentally. In three dimensions, the mass difference is observed but O(N) symmetry is always broken also in the strong coupling region.
This paper revisits the nonlinear realization of spontaneously broken N=1 supersymmetry. It is shown that the constrained superfield formalism can be reinterpreted in the language of standard realization of nonlinear supersymmetry via a new and simpler route. Explicit formulas of actions are presented for general renormalizable theories with or without gauge interactions. The nonlinear Wess-Zumino gauge is discussed and relations are pointed out for different definitions of gauge fields. In addition, a general procedure is provided to deal with theories of arbitrary Kahler potentials.
We review the construction of the N=2 U(N) gauge model and the analysis of vacua of the model. On the vacua, N=2 supersymmetry is spontaneously broken to N=1, and the gauge symmetry is broken to a product gauge group \prod_{i=1}^n U(N_i). The masses of the supermultiplets appearing on the N=1 vacua are given. We provide a manifestly N=2 supersymmetric formulation of the U(N) gauge model coupled with N=2 hypermultiplets, and show that N=2 supersymmetry is partially broken down to N=1 spontaneously.
It has been recently argued that inserting a probe anti-D3-brane in a flux background breaks supersymmetry spontaneously instead of explicitly, as previously thought. In this paper we argue that such spontaneous breaking of supersymmetry persists even when the probe anti-D3-brane is kept in a curved background with an internal space that doesn't have to be a Calabi-Yau manifold. To show this we take a specific curved background generated by fractional three-branes and fluxes on a non-Kahler resolved conifold where supersymmetry breaking appears directly from certain world-volume fermions becom…
An algebraic cohomological characterization of a class of linearly broken Ward identities is provided. The examples of the topological vector supersymmetry and of the Landau ghost equation are discussed in detail. The existence of such a linearly broken Ward identities turns out to be related to BRST exact antifield dependent cocycles with negative ghost number.
Boundary states for D-branes are constructed using the light cone gauge. The D-brane breaks half the spacetime supersymmetry giving rise to fermionic zero modes living on the brane. The nonlinear realization of the broken supersymmetry on the open string degrees of freedom is analysed and the influence of boundary terms coming from closed string vertex operators is discussed.
We study the weak gravity conjecture in non-supersymmetric string theory setups. Precisely, those are type I string theory with supersymmetry broken à la Scherk-Schwarz and open strings on D branes wrapped around magnetized tori in type II string theory. We compute long-range interactions between identical branes at one-loop and compare them to the weak gravity conjecture for higher-degree forms. In our examples, SUSY breaking generates interactions between branes, which are not anymore BPS, in such a way that the weak gravity conjecture is verified. In type I with the Scherk-Schwarz mechanism…
Effects of boundary conditions of fields for compactified space directions on the supersymmetric gauge theories are discussed. For general and possible boundary conditions the supersymmetry is explicitly broken to yield universal soft supersymmetry breaking terms, and the gauge symmetry of the theory can also be broken through the dynamics of non-integrable phases, depending on number and the representation under the gauge group of matters. The 4-dimensional supersymmetric QCD is studied as a toy model when one of the space coordinates is compactified on $S^1$.
Loop regularization (LORE) is a novel regularization scheme in modern quantum field theories. It makes no change to the spacetime structure and respects both gauge symmetries and supersymmetry. As a result, LORE should be useful in calculating loop corrections in supersymmetry phenomenology. To demonstrate further its power, in this article we revisit in the light of LORE the old issue of the absence of quadratic contributions (quadratic divergences) in softly broken supersymmetric field theories. It is shown explicitly by Feynman diagrammatic calculations that up to two loops the Wess-Zumino …
We study the scalar mass matrix of general supersymmetric theories with local gauge symmetries, and derive an absolute upper bound on the lightest scalar mass. This bound can be saturated by suitably tuning the superpotential, and its positivity therefore represents a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of metastable vacua. It is derived by looking at the subspace of all those directions in field space for which an arbitrary supersymmetric mass term is not allowed and scalar masses are controlled by supersymmetry-breaking splitting effects. This subspace includes not only the …
We consider the low energy description of five dimensional models of supergravity with boundaries comprising a vector multiplet and the universal hypermultiplet in the bulk. We analyse the spontaneous breaking of supersymmetry induced by the vacuum expectation value of superpotentials on the boundary branes. When supersymmetry is broken, the moduli corresponding to the radion, the zero mode of the vector multiplet scalar field and the dilaton develop a potential in the effective action. We compute the resulting soft breaking terms and give some indications on the features of the corresponding …
We propose a new spontaneous supersymmetry breaking mechanism, in which extra compact dimensions play an important role. To illustrate our mechanism, we study a simple model consisting of two chiral superfields, where one spatial dimension is compactified on a circle $S^1$. It is shown that supersymmetry is spontaneously broken irrespective of the radius of the circle, and also that the translational invariance for the $S^1$-direction and a global symmetry are spontaneously broken when the radius becomes larger than a critical radius. These results are expected to be general features of our me…
The moduli space of toroidal type I vacua, which are consistent at the non-perturbative level, consists of independent branches characterized by the number (0, 16 or 32) of rigid branes sitting on top of orientifold planes. This structure persists also when supersymmetry is spontaneously broken a la Scherk-Schwarz. We show that all the components of the moduli space in dimension $D\ge 5$ indeed admit heterotic dual components, by explicitly constructing heterotic-type I dual pairs with the rank of the gauge group reduced by 0, 8 or 16 units. In the presence of spontaneous breaking of supersymm…
