Fine-Tuning Constraints on Supergravity Models

We discuss fine-tuning constraints on supergravity models. The tightest constraints come from the experimental mass limits on two key particles: the lightest CP even Higgs boson and the gluino. We also include the lightest chargino which is relevant when universal gaugino masses are assumed. For each of these particles we show how fine-tuning increases with the experimental mass limit, for four types of supergravity model: minimal supergravity, no-scale supergravity (relaxing the universal gaugino mass assumption), D-brane models and anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking models. Among these models, the D-brane model is less fine tuned.The experimental propects for an early discovery of Higgs and supersymmetry at LEP and the Tevatron are discussed in this framework.Comment: 17 pages, Latex, including 5 eps figure

Naturalness Implications of LEP Results

We analyse the fine-tuning constraints arising from absence of superpartners at LEP, without strong universality assumptions. We show that such constraints do not imply that charginos or neutralinos should have been seen at LEP, contrary to the usual arguments. They do however imply relatively light gluinos (m_{\tilde g} \lsim 350 GeV) and/or a relation between the soft-breaking SU(3) gaugino mass and Higgs soft mass $m_{H_U}$. The LEP limit on the Higgs mass is significant, especially at low $\tan \beta$, and we investigate to what extent this provides evidence for both a lighter gluino and correlations between soft masses.Comment: 22 pages, Latex, including 2 eps figure

Quartic Anomalous Couplings in eγe\gamma Colliders

We study the production of gauge boson pairs at the next generation of linear $e^+e^-$ colliders operating in the $e\gamma$ mode. The processes $e\gamma \rightarrow VV^\prime F$ ($V,V^\prime =W$, $Z$, or $\gamma$ and $F=e$ or $\nu$) can give valuable information on possible deviations of the quartic vector boson couplings from the Standard Model predictions. We establish the range of the new couplings that can be explored in these colliders based on a $3\sigma$ effect in the total cross section. We also present several kinematical distributions of the final state particles that could manifest the underlying new dynamics. Our results show that an $e\gamma$ collider can extend considerably the bounds on anomalous interactions coming from oblique radiative corrections and from direct searches in $e^+e^-$ colliders.Comment: 21 pages and 7 figures appended as a postscript file (uuencoded), MAD/PH/764, IFT-P.031/93, IFUSP-P 1047 (uses REVTeX3

Brane Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking

We propose a mechanism for mediating supersymmetry breaking in Type I string constructions. The basic set-up consists of a system of three D-branes: two parallel D-branes, a matter D-brane and a source D-brane, with supersymmetry breaking communicated via a third D-brane, the mediating D-brane, which intersects both of the parallel D-branes. We discuss an example in which the first and second family matter fields correspond to open strings living on the intersection of the matter D-brane and mediating D-brane, while the gauge fields, Higgs doublets and third family matter fields correspond to open strings living on the mediating D-brane. As in gaugino mediated models, the gauginos and Higgs doublets receive direct soft masses from the source brane, and flavour-changing neutral currents are naturally suppressed since the first and second family squarks and sleptons receive suppressed soft masses. However, unlike the gaugino mediated model, the third family squarks and sleptons receive unsuppressed soft masses, resulting in a very distinctive spectrum with heavier stops, sbottoms and staus.Comment: Version to appear in Nucl.Phys.B. 28 pages, Late

CP and Lepton-Number Violation in GUT Neutrino Models with Abelian Flavour Symmetries

We study the possible magnitudes of CP and lepton-number-violating quantities in specific GUT models of massive neutrinos with different Abelian flavour groups, taking into account experimental constraints and requiring successful leptogenesis. We discuss SU(5) and flipped SU(5) models that are consistent with the present data on neutrino mixing and upper limits on the violations of charged-lepton flavours and explore their predictions for the CP-violating oscillation and Majorana phases. In particular, we discuss string-derived flipped SU(5) models with selection rules that modify the GUT structure and provide additional constraints on the operators, which are able to account for the magnitudes of some of the coefficients that are often set as arbitrary parameters in generic Abelian models.Comment: 30 pages, 6 figure

A Model of Fermion Masses and Flavor Mixings with Family Symmetry SU(3)⊗U(1)SU(3)\otimes U(1)

The family symmetry $SU(3)\otimes U(1)$ is proposed to solve flavor problems about fermion masses and flavor mixings. It's breaking is implemented by some flavon fields at the high-energy scale. In addition a discrete group $Z_{2}$ is introduced to generate tiny neutrino masses, which is broken by a real singlet scalar field at the middle-energy scale. The low-energy effective theory is elegantly obtained after all of super-heavy fermions are integrated out and decoupling. All the fermion mass matrices are regularly characterized by four fundamental matrices and thirteen parameters. The model can perfectly fit and account for all the current experimental data about the fermion masses and flavor mixings, in particular, it finely predicts the first generation quark masses and the values of $\theta^{\,l}_{13}$ and $J_{CP}^{\,l}$ in neutrino physics. All of the results are promising to be tested in the future experiments.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure, to make a few of corrections to the old version. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1011.457

Non-universal gaugino masses: a signal-based analysis for the Large Hadron Collider

We discuss the signals at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) for scenarios with non-universal gaugino masses in supersymmetric (SUSY) theories. We perform a multichannel analysis, and consider the ratios of event rates in different channels such as $jets + {E}_T/$, $same$ - and $opposite$-$sign dileptons$ $+jets+ {E}_T/$, as well as $single-lepton$ and $trilepton$ final states together with $jets + {E}_T/$ . Low-energy SUSY spectra corresponding to high-scale gaugino non-universality arising from different breaking schemes of SU(5) as well as SO(10) Grand Unified (GUT) SUSY models are considered, with both degenerate low-energy sfermion masses and those arising from a supergravity scenario. We present the numerical predictions over a wide range of the parameter space using the event generator {\tt Pythia}, specifying the event selection criteria and pointing out regions where signals are likely to be beset with backgrounds. Certain broad features emerge from the study, which may be useful in identifying the signatures of different GUT breaking schemes and distinguishing them from a situation with a universal gaugino mass at high scale. The absolute values of the predicted event rates for different scenarios are presented together with the various event ratios, so that these can also be used whenever necessary.Comment: 54 pages, 18 figure

An observation of spin-valve effects in a semiconductor field effect transistor: a novel spintronic device

We present the first spintronic semiconductor field effect transistor. The injector and collector contacts of this device were made from magnetic permalloy thin films with different coercive fields so that they could be magnetized either parallel or antiparallel to each other in different applied magnetic fields. The conducting medium was a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed in an AlSb/InAs quantum well. Data from this device suggest that its resistance is controlled by two different types of spin-valve effect: the first occurring at the ferromagnet-2DEG interfaces; and the second occuring in direct propagation between contacts.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Spin-dependent thermoelectric transport coefficients in near-perfect quantum wires

Thermoelectric transport coefficients are determined for semiconductor quantum wires with weak thickness fluctuations. Such systems exhibit anomalies in conductance near 1/4 and 3/4 of 2e^2/h on the rising edge to the first conductance plateau, explained by singlet and triplet resonances of conducting electrons with a single weakly bound electron in the wire [T. Rejec, A. Ramsak, and J.H. Jefferson, Phys. Rev. B 62, 12985 (2000)]. We extend this work to study the Seebeck thermopower coefficient and linear thermal conductance within the framework of the Landauer-Buettiker formalism, which also exhibit anomalous structures. These features are generic and robust, surviving to temperatures of a few degrees. It is shown quantitatively how at elevated temperatures thermal conductance progressively deviates from the Wiedemann-Franz law.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. B 2002; 3 figure

On low temperature kinetic theory; spin diffusion, Bose Einstein condensates, anyons

The paper considers some typical problems for kinetic models evolving through pair-collisions at temperatures not far from absolute zero, which illustrate specific quantum behaviours. Based on these examples, a number of differences between quantum and classical Boltzmann theory is then discussed in more general terms.Comment: 25 pages, minor updates of previous versio