Reduced Conformal Symmetry

We construct field theories in $2+1$ dimensions with multiple conformal symmetries acting on only one of the spatial directions. These can be considered a conformal extension to subsystem scale invariances, borrowing the language often used for fractons.

Supersymmetric Models with Higher Dimensional Operators

In 4D renormalisable theories, integrating out massive states generates in the low energy effective action higher dimensional operators (derivative or otherwise). Using a superfield language it is shown that a 4D N=1 supersymmetric theory with higher derivative operators in either the Kahler or the superpotential part of the Lagrangian and with an otherwise arbitrary superpotential, is equivalent to a 4D N=1 theory of second order (i.e. without higher derivatives) with additional superfields and renormalised interactions. We provide examples where a free theory with trivial supersymmetry breaking provided by a linear superpotential becomes, in the presence of higher derivatives terms and in the second order version, a non-trivial interactive one with spontaneous supersymmetry breaking. The couplings of the equivalent theory acquire a threshold correction through their dependence on the scale of the higher dimensional operator(s). The scalar potential in the second order theory is not necessarily positive definite, and one can in principle have a vanishing potential with broken supersymmetry. We provide an application to MSSM and argue that at tree-level and for a mass scale associated to a higher derivative term in the TeV range, the Higgs mass can be lifted above the current experimental limits.

Electroweak symmetry breaking in supersymmetric models with heavy scalar superpartners

We propose a novel mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking in supersymmetric models, as the one recently discussed by Birkedal, Chacko and Gaillard, in which the Standard Model Higgs doublet is a pseudo-Goldstone boson of some global symmetry. The Higgs mass parameter is generated at one loop level by two different, moderately fine-tuned sources of the global symmetry breaking. The mechanism works for scalar superpartner masses of order 10 TeV, but gauginos can be light. The scale at which supersymmetry breaking is mediated to the visible sector has to be low, of order 100 TeV. Fine-tuning in the scalar potential is at least two orders of magnitude smaller than in the MSSM with similar soft scalar masses. The physical Higgs boson mass is (for $tanbetagg1$) in the range 120-135 GeV.

On Newtons law in supersymmetric braneworld models

We study the propagation of gravitons within 5-D supersymmetric braneworld models with a bulk scalar field. The setup considered here consists of a 5-D bulk spacetime bounded by two 4-D branes localized at the fixed points of an $S^1/Z_2$ orbifold. There is a scalar field $phi$ in the bulk which, provided a superpotential $W(phi)$, determines the warped geometry of the 5-D spacetime. This type of scenario is common in string theory, where the bulk scalar field $phi$ is related to the volume of small compact extra dimensions. We show that, after the moduli are stabilized by supersymmetry breaking terms localized on the branes, the only relevant degrees of freedom in the bulk consist of a 5-D massive spectrum of gravitons. Then we analyze the gravitational interaction between massive bodies localized at the positive tension brane mediated by these bulk gravitons. It is shown that the Newtonian potential describing this interaction picks up a non-trivial contribution at short distances that depends on the shape of the superpotential $W(phi)$. We compute this contribution for dilatonic braneworld scenarios $W(phi) = e^{alpha phi}$ (where $alpha$ is a constant) and discuss the particular case of 5-D Heterotic M-theory: It is argued that a specific footprint at micron scales could be observable in the near future.

Singular supersymmetric sigma models

Supersymmetric non-linear sigma-models are described by a field dependent Kaehler metric determining the kinetic terms. In general it is not guaranteed that this metric is always invertible. Our aim is to investigate the symmetry structure of supersymmetric models in four dimensional space-time in which metric singularities occur. For this purpose we study a simple anomaly-free extension of the supersymmetric CP^1 model from a classical point of view. We show that the metric singularities can be regularized by the addition of a soft supersymmetry-breaking mass parameter.