Fun with Higgsless Theories

Motivated by recent works on ``Higgsless theories,'' I discuss an $SU(2)_0\times SU(2)^{N}\times U(1)$ gauge theory with arbitrary bifundamental (or custodial SU(2) preserving) symmetry breaking between the gauge subgroups and with ordinary matter transforming only under the U(1) and $SU(2)_0$. When the couplings, $g_j$, of the other SU(2)s are very large, this reproduces the standard model at the tree level. I calculate the $W$ and $Z$ masses and other electroweak parameters in a perturbative expansion in $1/g_j^2$, and give physical interpretations of the results in a mechanical analog built out of masses and springs. In the mechanical analog, it is clear that even for arbitrary patterns of symmetry breaking, it is not possible (in the perturbative regime) to raise the Higgs mass by a large factor while keeping the $S$ parameter small.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, LaTeX - another referenc

WW Scattering in Walking Technicolor

We analyze the WW scattering in scenarios of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking of walking technicolor type. We show that in these theories there are regions of the parameters space allowed by the electroweak precision data, in which unitarity violation is delayed at tree level up to around 3-4 TeV without the inclusion of any sub-TeV resonances.Comment: 2 Columns RevTeX, 10 pages, 9 Figure

Constraints on Little Higgs with Fully-Radiative Electroweak Symmetry Breaking

In a recent paper, we introduced a new Little Higgs model, which contains the gauge structure $SU(2)^3\times U(1)$, embedded in an approximate global $SO(5)\times SO(5)$ symmetry. After breaking to the standard model, $SU(2)_L \times U(1)_Y$, this produces two heavy $Z^\prime$ bosons and two heavy $W^{\prime\pm}$ bosons, along with a single Standard Model-like Higgs scalar. The unique feature of the model was that it was possible to obtain electroweak symmetry breaking and a light Higgs mass entirely from perturbative loop contributions to the Higgs effective potential. In this paper we consider the electroweak constraints on this model, including tree and loop contributions to the universal oblique and non-oblique parameters, tree-level corrections to the $ZWW$ vertex, and tree and loop level corrections to $Zb\bar{b}$. The most significant corrections are positive tree-level corrections to $\hat{S}$ and negative fermion-loop corrections to $\hat{T}$, which require that the scale for the global symmetry breaking be $\gtrsim2$ TeV, depending on the top-quark mixing parameter and the extra gauge couplings. In addition, the loop corrections to $Zb\bar{b}$ contain a divergence that must be absorbed into the coefficient of a new operator in the theory. The finite part of this $Zb\bar{b}$ correction, however, is negligible.Comment: 28 pages, 16 figures, RevTeX forma

Chiral-logarithmic Corrections to the S and T Parameters in Higgsless Models

Recently, Higgsless models have proven to be viable alternatives to the Standard Model (SM) and supersymmetric models in describing the breaking of the electroweak symmetry. Whether extra-dimensional in nature or their deconstructed counterparts, the physical spectrum of these models typically consists of ``towers'' of massive vector gauge bosons which carry the same quantum numbers as the SM W and Z. In this paper, we calculate the one-loop, chiral-logarithmic corrections to the S and T parameters from the lightest (i.e. SM) and the next-to-lightest gauge bosons using a novel application of the Pinch Technique. We perform our calculation using generic Feynman rules with generic couplings such that our results can be applied to various models. To demonstrate how to use our results, we calculate the leading chiral-logarithmic corrections to the S and T parameters in the deconstructed three site Higgsless model. As we point out, however, our results are not exclusive to Higgsless models and may, in fact, be used to calculate the one-loop corrections from additional gauge bosons in models with fundamental (or composite) Higgs bosons.Comment: 45 pages, 15 figures, added references, analysis of three site model expanded to include delocalized fermion

Direct Search Implications for a Custodially-Embedded Composite Top

We assess current experimental constraints on the bi-doublet + singlet model of top compositeness previously proposed in the literature. This model extends the standard model's spectrum by adding a custodially-embedded vector-like electroweak bi-doublet of quarks and a vector-like electroweak singlet quark. While either of those states alone would produce a model in tension with constraints from precision electroweak data, in combination they can produce a viable model. We show that current precision electroweak data, in the wake of the Higgs discovery, accommodate the model and we explore the impact of direct collider searches for the partners of the top quark.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures (updated figures to show sin(beta) of 0.55 rather than 0.6, to be more informative to the reader)(second update fixes a figure format issue in Fig 1f

Global Symmetries and Renormalizability of Lee-Wick Theories

In this paper we discuss the global symmetries and the renormalizibility of Lee-Wick scalar QED. In particular, in the "auxiliary-field" formalism we identify softly broken SO(1,1) global symmetries of the theory. We introduce SO(1,1) invariant gauge-fixing conditions that allow us to show in the two-field formalism directly that the number of superficially divergent amplitudes in a LW Abelian gauge theory is finite. To illustrate the renormalizability of the theory, we explicitly carry out the one-loop renormalization program in LW scalar QED and demonstrate how the counterterms required are constrained by the joint conditions of gauge- and SO(1,1)-invariance. We also compute the one-loop beta-functions in LW scalar QED and contrast them with those of ordinary scalar QED.Comment: 17 pages, 3 eps figures included. Incorporates suggestions by referee; title change

The Limits of Custodial Symmetry

We introduce a toy model implementing the proposal of using a custodial symmetry to protect the Zbb coupling from large corrections. This "doublet-extended standard model" adds a weak doublet of fermions (including a heavy partner of the top quark) to the particle content of the standard model in order to implement an O(4) x U(1)_X = SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R x P_{LR} x U(1)_X symmetry that protects the Zbb coupling. This symmetry is softly broken to the gauged SU(2)_L x U(1)_Y electroweak symmetry by a Dirac mass M for the new doublet; adjusting the value of M allows us to explore the range of possibilities between the O(4)-symmetric (M to 0) and standard-model-like (M to infinity) limits. In this simple model, we find that the experimental limits on the Zbb coupling favor smaller M while the presence of a potentially sizable negative contribution to T strongly favors large M. A fit to all precision electroweak data shows that the heavy partner of the top quark must be heavier than about 3.4 TeV, making it difficult to search for at LHC. This result demonstrates that electroweak data strongly limits the amount by which the custodial symmetry of the top-quark mass generating sector can be enhanced relative to the standard model. Using an effective field theory calculation, we illustrate how the leading contributions to alpha T, alpha S and the Zbb coupling in this model arise from an effective operator coupling right-handed top-quarks to the Z-boson, and how the effects on these observables are correlated. We contrast this toy model with extra-dimensional models in which the extended custodial symmetry is invoked to control the size of additional contributions to alpha T and the Zbb coupling, while leaving the standard model contributions essentially unchanged.Comment: 19 pages, 11 eps figures. Typos correcte

Custodial Isospin Violation in the Lee-Wick Standard Model

We analyze the tension between naturalness and isospin violation in the Lee-Wick Standard Model (LW SM), by computing tree-level and fermionic one-loop contributions to the post-LEP electroweak parameters and the Zbb coupling. The model is most natural when the LW partners of the gauge bosons and fermions are light, but small partner masses can lead to large isospin violation. The post-LEP parameters yield a simple picture in the LW SM: the gauge sector contributes to Y and W only, with leading contributions arising at tree-level, while the fermion sector contributes to S-hat and T-hat only, with leading corrections arising at one loop. Hence, W and Y constrain the masses of the LW gauge bosons to satisfy M1, M2 > 2.4 TeV at 95% CL. Likewise, experimental limits on T-hat reveal that the masses of the LW fermions must satisfy Mq, Mt > 1.6 TeV at 95% CL if the Higgs mass is light and tend to exclude the LW SM for any LW fermion masses if the Higgs mass is heavy. Contributions from the top-quark sector to the Zbb coupling can be even more stringent, placing a lower bound of 4 TeV on the LW fermion masses at 95% CL.Comment: 16 pages, 8 embedded eps figure

Patterns of custodial isospin violation from a composite top

In this paper we consider the effects of top-quark compositeness on the electroweak parameters T^ and S^ and the ZbLb̄L coupling. We do so by using an effective field theory analysis to identify several promising patterns of mixing between standard-model-like and vector fermions, and then analyzing simple extensions of the standard model that realize those patterns. These models illustrate four ways in which an extended O(4) symmetry, which controls the size of radiative corrections to the observables discussed, may be broken. These models may also be viewed as highly deconstructed versions of five-dimensional gauge theories dual to various strongly interacting composite Higgs theories. We comment on how our results relate to extra-dimensional models previously considered, and we demonstrate that one pattern of O(4) breaking is phenomenologically favored. © 2011 American Physical Society