Supersymmetric renormalization group flows

The functional renormalization group equation for the quantum effective action is a powerful tool to investigate non-perturbative phenomena in quantum field theories. We discuss the application of manifest supersymmetric flow equations to the N = 1 Wess-Zumino model in two and three dimensions and the linear O(N) sigma model in three dimensions in the large-N limit. The former is a toy model for dynamical supersymmetry breaking, the latter for an exactly solvable field theory.     

The axial gauge and supersymmetry

We examine the supersymmetry Ward identity for supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories in the axial gauge. In the pure N = 1 (no matter) case the Ward identity leads to supersymmetric counterterms to all orders. This result does not survive the introduction of matter fields, however, and we therefore conclude that the gauge is not useful in the context of supersymmetry.     

Superfield approach to the construction of effective action in quantum field theory with extended supersymmetry

We review the current state of research on the construction of effective actions in supersymmetric quantum field theory. Special attention is paid to gauge models with extended supersymmetry in the superfield approach. The advantages of formulation of such models in harmonic superspace for the calculation of effective action are emphasized. Manifestly supersymmetric and manifestly gauge-invariant methods for constructing the low-energy effective actions and deriving the corrections to them are considered and the possibilities to obtain the exact solutions are discussed. The calculations of one-loop effective actions in N = 2 supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory with hypermultiplets and in N = 4 supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory are analyzed in detail. The relationship between the effective action in supersymmetric quantum field theory and the low-energy limit in superstring theory is discussed.     

The supersymmetric Adler-Bardeen theorem and regularization by dimensional reduction

We examine the subtraction scheme dependence of the anomaly of the supersymmetric, gauge singlet axial current in pure and coupled supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories. Preserving supersymmetry and gauge invariance explicitly by using supersymmetric background field theory and dimensional reduction, we show that only the one-loop value of the axial anomaly is subtraction scheme independent, and that one can always define a subtraction scheme in which the Adler-Bardeen theorem is satisfied to all orders in perturbation theory. In general this subtraction scheme may be non-minimal, but in both the pure and the coupled theories, the Adler-Bardeen theorem is satisfied to two loops in minimal subtraction.     

Auxiliary field-free supersymmetric gauges

We find that, in perturbation theory, non-light-cone axial gauges, N ° A^a (x) = 0, preserve the supersymmetry remaining in N = 1 supersymmetric YM theories, after imposing the Wess-Zumino gauge.     

Bound states in N = 8 supergravity and N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories

We present a study of possible bound states in N = 8 supergravity. We find evidence for the existence of multiplets of two-body bound states and expect that many-body bound states may exist as well. Our study is based on a calculation of Regge trajectories in the two-body scattering amplitudes of the lagrangian field theory. We also study Regge trajectories in N = 4 Yang-Mills theory and find evidence for a possible spin zero, SU(4) and gauge singlet, massless bound state. If such a state actually exists and supersymmetry is not broken, it may be a member of a supersymmetric multiplet which includes the graviton.     

Superconductivity in Supersymmetric Theories

The study of superconductivity has been undertaken through the breaking of supersymmetric gauge theories which automatically incorporate the condensation of monopoles and dyons leading to confining and superconducting phases. Constructing the effective Lagrangian near a singularity in moduli space for N=2 supersymmetric theory with SU(2) gauge group, it has been shown that when a mass term is added to this Lagrangian, the N=2 Supersymmetry is reduced to N=1 supersymmetry yielding the dyonic condensation which leads to confinement and superconductivity as the consequence of generalized Meissner effect. In the Coulomb phase of N=2 SU(3) Yang–Mills theory the gauge symmetry has been broken down to SU(2)×U(l) and it has been shown that on perturbing it by suitable tree-level superpotential this supersymmetry theory breaks to N=1 SU(2) Yang-Mills theory described by Higgs field in confining phase incorporating superconductivity.     

Anomalous generation of Chern-Simons terms in D=3, N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories

Parity-invariant three-dimensional gauge theories with N=2 extended supersymmetry are studied by the heat kernel method. The parity-anomalous part of the one-loop effective action is exactly found. It is expressed in terms of the N=2 supersymmetric Chern-Simons term and is identified as a N=2 superspace Atiyah-Patodi-Singer eta-invariant.     

Dynamical supersymmetry breaking and gauge anomalies

Some aspects of supersymmetric gauge theories and discussed. It is shown that dynamical supersymmetry breaking does not occur in supersymmetric QED in higher dimensions. The cancellation of both local (perturbative) and global (non-perturbative) gauge anomalies are also discussed in supersymmetric gauge theories. We argue that there is no dynamical supersymmetry breaking in higher dimensions in any supersymmetric gauge theories free of gauge anomalies. It is also shown that for supersymmetric gauge theories in higher dimensions with a compact connected simple gauge group, when the local anomaly-free condition is satisfied, there can be at most a possibleZ ₂ global gauge anomaly in extended supersymmetricSO(10) (or spin (10)) gauge theories inD=10 dimensions containing additional Weyl fermions in a spinor representation ofSO(10) (or spin (10)). In four dimensions with local anomaly-free condition satisfied, the only possible global gauge anomalies in supersymmetric gauge theories areZ ₂ global gauge anomalies for extended supersymmetricSP(2N) (N=rank) gauge theories containing additional Weyl fermions in a representation ofSP(2N) with an odd 2nd-order Dynkin index.     

Higher derivative regulation of supersymmetric theories

The rigid N = 1 supersymmetric theories are regulated using higher derivatives, supplemented with one-loop Pauli-Villars regulator fields. This scheme preserves supersymmetry as well as background and quantum gauge invariances.     

N = 2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory and its supercurrent

Using the off-shell two-component formulation of N = 2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory and the gauge covariantized supersymmetry transformations for the fields, the non-abelian supercurrent and anomaly multiplets are developed and the transformation rules for their components are obtained. The superfields in N = 2 superspace whose components are the non-abelian supercurrent and anomaly multiplets are written down.     

From N = 1 to N = 4 extended supersymmetric Yang-Mills fields in a covariant Wess-Zumino gauge

It is assumed that N = 1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills fields coupled to chiral matter fields can be renormalized in a covariant Wess-Zumino gauge with a minimal number of subtractions so that the Ward identities of supersymmetry, ordinary gauge invariance and matter-field-flavour symmetries are satisfied. The chiral Yukawa couplings are supposed to remain unrenormalized. I show that on the basis of these assumptions an N = 4 extended manifestly O(4) invariant theory can be constructed with finite Yukawa and φ⁴ couplings. A consequence of these non-renormalizations is the vanishing of the renormalization group β function.     

A heterotic N=2 string with space–time supersymmetry

We reconsider the issue of embedding space–time fermions into the four-dimensional N=2 worldsheet supersymmetric string. A new heterotic theory is constructed, taking the right-movers from the N=4 topological extension of the conventional N=2 string but a c=0 conformal field theory supporting target-space supersymmetry for the left-moving sector. The global bosonic symmetry of the full formalism proves to be U(1,1), just as in the usual N=2 string. Quantization reveals a spectrum of only two physical states, one boson and one fermion, which fall in a multiplet of (1,0) supersymmetry.     

The (2+1)-dimensional supersymmetric CPN−1 model and the central charge

The supersymmetry algebra is examined for the (2+1)-dimensional supersymmetric CP^N?1 model, on the basis of the observation of Witten and Olive in (1+1) and (3+1) dimensions. We then demonstrate that also in this (2+1)-dimensional model the usual supersymmetry algebra is modified by the appearance of the topological numbers of the solitons, which are nothing but the instantons in (1+1) dimensions, as central charges. To obtain the model, we begin by constructing the supersymmetric model in (3+1) dimensions. Then it is reduced to (2+1) dimensions by means of the dimensional reduction technique. We observe that the (2+1)-dimensional supersymmetric CP^N?1 model thus obtained admits an O(2) extended supersymmetry.     

Toward a unification of “everything” with gravity

Combining the ideas of gauge interactions with a global supersymmetry, we build a unified model in six dimensions step by step, starting with a single generation of leptons and ending with three generations of leptons and colored quarks forming a supermultiplet characterized by a most general extensionN=8. The puzzle of supersymmetric partners, such as the gravitino, photino, s-leptons, and s-quarks, is seen in a new light. The supersymmetry is only a global one, whereas local supersymmetry and supergravity are replaced by the theory of gauge interactions and by the usual general relativity of Einstein.     

The soliton supermultiplet in 4 + 1 dimensions

We consider the SO(4) = SU(2) ? USp(2) Clifford algebra, obtained by the supersymmetry algebra for the N = 2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in 4+1 dimensions, which, in the phase of unbroken gauge symmetry, has a topological charge as central charge. We find that, even if the Higgs mechanism is absent, the massive soliton supermultiplet contains the same number of states as the massless supermultiplet of elementary particles.     

Elliptic index and superstring effective actions

Certain N = 1 supersymmetric string one-loop effective actions can be obtained directly from the path integral. As the computation is essentially the same as the one leading to the index of the Dirac-Ramond operator, they are determined by the gauge and gravitational anomaly structure of the theory. Specifically, we calculate the four-point effective action in ten dimensions, the corrections to the kinetic terms in d = 6 (including auxiliary fields) and the Fayet-Iliopoulos D-term in d = 4. We also compute the β-function of four-dimensional N = 2 theories from the elliptic genus in d = 6. Furthermore, we derive supersymmetry Ward type identities in terms of Kac-Moody characters, relating parity conserving with parity violating amplitudes.