30 research outputs found
Notes on SUSY and R-Symmetry Breaking in Wess-Zumino Models
We study aspects of Wess-Zumino models related to SUSY and R-symmetry
breaking at tree-level. We present a recipe for constructing a wide class of
tree-level SUSY and R-breaking models. We also deduce a general property shared
by all tree-level SUSY breaking models that has broad application to model
building. In particular, it explains why many models of direct gauge mediation
have anomalously light gauginos (even if the R-symmetry is broken spontaneously
by an order one amount). This suggests new approaches to dynamical SUSY
breaking which can generate large enough gaugino masses.Comment: 23 pages. v2: references added, minor changes. v3: comment on
non-renormalizable case adde
D-Branes and Fluxes in Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics
Type 0A string theory in the (2,4k) superconformal minimal model backgrounds,
with background ZZ D-branes or R-R fluxes can be formulated non-perturbatively.
The branes and fluxes have a description as threshold bound states in an
associated one-dimensional quantum mechanics which has a supersymmetric
structure, familiar from studies of the generalized KdV system. The relevant
bound state wavefunctions in this problem have unusual asymptotics (they are
not normalizable in general, and break supersymmetry) which are consistent with
the underlying description in terms of open and closed string sectors. The
overall organization of the physics is very pleasing: The physics of the closed
strings in the background of branes or fluxes is captured by the generalized
KdV system and non-perturbative string equations obtained by reduction of that
system (the hierarchy of equations found by Dalley, Johnson, Morris and
Watterstam). Meanwhile, the bound states wavefunctions, which describe the
physics of the ZZ D-brane (or flux) background in interaction with probe FZZT
D-branes, are captured by the generalized mKdV system, and non-perturbative
string equations obtained by reduction of that system (the Painleve II hierachy
found by Periwal and Shevitz in this context).Comment: 41 pages, LaTe
Open/Closed String Duality for Topological Gravity with Matter
The exact FZZT brane partition function for topological gravity with matter
is computed using the dual two-matrix model. We show how the effective theory
of open strings on a stack of FZZT branes is described by the generalized
Kontsevich matrix integral, extending the earlier result for pure topological
gravity. Using the well-known relation between the Kontsevich integral and a
certain shift in the closed-string background, we conclude that these models
exhibit open/closed string duality explicitly. Just as in pure topological
gravity, the unphysical sheets of the classical FZZT moduli space are
eliminated in the exact answer. Instead, they contribute small, nonperturbative
corrections to the exact answer through Stokes' phenomenon.Comment: 23 pages, 1 figure, harvma
Backlund Transformations, D-Branes, and Fluxes in Minimal Type 0 Strings
We study the Type 0A string theory in the (2,4k) superconformal minimal model
backgrounds, focusing on the fully non-perturbative string equations which
define the partition function of the model. The equations admit a parameter,
Gamma, which in the spacetime interpretation controls the number of background
D-branes, or R-R flux units, depending upon which weak coupling regime is
taken. We study the properties of the string equations (often focusing on the
(2,4) model in particular) and their physical solutions. The solutions are the
potential for an associated Schrodinger problem whose wavefunction is that of
an extended D-brane probe. We perform a numerical study of the spectrum of this
system for varying Gamma and establish that when Gamma is a positive integer
the equations' solutions have special properties consistent with the spacetime
interpretation. We also show that a natural solution-generating transformation
(that changes Gamma by an integer) is the Backlund transformation of the KdV
hierarchy specialized to (scale invariant) solitons at zero velocity. Our
results suggest that the localized D-branes of the minimal string theories are
directly related to the solitons of the KdV hierarchy. Further, we observe an
interesting transition when Gamma=-1.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figure
Adding Charges to N=4 Dyons
The spectrum of dyons in a class of N=4 supersymmetric string theories has
been found for a specific set of electric and magnetic charge vectors. We
extend the analysis to more general charge vectors by considering various
charge carrying collective excitations of the original system.Comment: LaTeX file, 16 page
Annulus Amplitudes and ZZ Branes in Minimal String Theory
We study the annulus amplitudes of (p,q) minimal string theory. Focusing on
the ZZ-FZZT annulus amplitude as a target-space probe of the ZZ brane, we use
it to confirm that the ZZ branes are localized in the strong-coupling region.
Along the way we learn that the ZZ-FZZT open strings are fermions, even though
our theory is bosonic! We also provide a geometrical interpretation of the
annulus amplitudes in terms of the Riemann surface M_{p,q} that emerges from
the FZZT branes. The ZZ-FZZT annulus amplitude measures the deformation of
M_{p,q} due to the presence of background ZZ branes; each kind of ZZ-brane
deforms only one A-period of the surface. Finally, we use the annulus
amplitudes to argue that the ZZ branes can be regarded as "wrong-branch"
tachyons which violate the bound \alpha<Q/2.Comment: 33 pages, new results in appendix, minor change
Dirac Gauginos, Negative Supertraces and Gauge Mediation
In an attempt to maximize General Gauge Mediated parameter space, I propose
simple models in which gauginos and scalars are generated from disconnected
mechanisms. In my models Dirac gauginos are generated through the supersoft
mechanism, while independent R-symmetric scalar masses are generated through
operators involving non-zero messenger supertrace. I propose several new
methods for generating negative messenger supertraces which result in viable
positive mass squareds for MSSM scalars. The resultant spectra are novel,
compressed and may contain light fermionic SM adjoint fields.Comment: 16 pages 3 figure
Lectures on Supersymmetry Breaking
We review the subject of spontaneous supersymmetry breaking. First we
consider supersymmetry breaking in a semiclassical theory. We illustrate it
with several examples, demonstrating different phenomena, including metastable
supersymmetry breaking. Then we give a brief review of the dynamics of
supersymmetric gauge theories. Finally, we use this dynamics to present various
mechanisms for dynamical supersymmetry breaking. These notes are based on
lectures given by the authors in 2007, at various schools.Comment: 47 pages. v2: minor correction
Metastable Rank-Condition Supersymmetry Breaking in a Chiral Example
We discuss generalizations of Intriligator-Seiberg-Shih (ISS) vacua to chiral
models. We study one example, of an s-confining theory, in detail. In the IR,
this example reduces to two ISS-like sectors, and exhibits a
supersymmetry-breaking vacuum with all pseudo-moduli stabilized at the origin,
and with the R-symmetry unbroken. The IR theory is interesting from the point
of view of R-symmetry breaking. This theory is an O'Raifeartaigh model with all
charges zero or two, but the presence of a second R-charged pseudo-modulus with
superpotential couplings to the messengers in principle allows for R-symmetry
breaking.Comment: 9 page
General Messenger Gauge Mediation
We discuss theories of gauge mediation in which the hidden sector consists of
two subsectors which are weakly coupled to each other. One sector is made up of
messengers and the other breaks supersymmetry. Each sector by itself may be
strongly coupled. We provide a unifying framework for such theories and discuss
their predictions in different settings. We show how this framework
incorporates all known models of messengers. In the case of weakly-coupled
messengers interacting with spurions through the superpotential, we prove that
the sfermion mass-squared is positive, and furthermore, that there is a lower
bound on the ratio of the sfermion mass to the gaugino mass.Comment: 37 pages; minor change