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Supersymmetry and Superfields Overview

This document summarizes key concepts in supersymmetry and superfield theory: 1) Superspace is defined as the collection of ordinary spacetime coordinates x along with Grassmann spinor coordinates θ and θ^. Supersymmetry acts as translations in this superspace. 2) Superfields are functions on superspace that transform irreducibly under supersymmetry. Chiral superfields Φ satisfy ^DΦ = 0 and contain complex scalar and fermion fields. Vector superfields V are real and contain gauge fields. 3) Supersymmetric actions can be written by integrating invariant functions of superfields over superspace. The standard kinetic term for chiral superfields and a gauge invariant action for vector superfields

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Yichao Yu
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135 views4 pages

Supersymmetry and Superfields Overview

This document summarizes key concepts in supersymmetry and superfield theory: 1) Superspace is defined as the collection of ordinary spacetime coordinates x along with Grassmann spinor coordinates θ and θ^. Supersymmetry acts as translations in this superspace. 2) Superfields are functions on superspace that transform irreducibly under supersymmetry. Chiral superfields Φ satisfy ^DΦ = 0 and contain complex scalar and fermion fields. Vector superfields V are real and contain gauge fields. 3) Supersymmetric actions can be written by integrating invariant functions of superfields over superspace. The standard kinetic term for chiral superfields and a gauge invariant action for vector superfields

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Yichao Yu
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Supersymmetry in 3+1 Physics G8070

Spring 2007
References: All this material can be found in Wess & Bagger. Ill just quote
the main results. I use Wess & Bagger conventions but denote Lorentz vector
indices , rather than m, n.
1.1 Superspace and superelds
Superspace is the collection of points z
M
=
_
x


_
where
x

real bosonic coordinates ( = Lorentz vector index)

complex Grassmann coordinates ( = left-handed spinor index)


complex conjugates of

( = right-handed spinor index)


Supersymmetry is a translation
x


where


are Grassmann spinor parameters. This translation is generated
by dierential operators Q

,

Q

.
z
M
=
_

_
z
M
Q

We can dene some supercovariant derivatives D

,

D

which anticommute
with all the Q

s, and therefore map superelds to superelds.


D

+i

D

=


+i

A general (or unconstrained) supereld is an arbitrary complex function on


superspace F(x


). Under a supersymmetry transformation we have
F =
_
Q

_
F .
An unconstrained supereld provides a reducible representation of supersym-
metry. To nd irreducible representations we need to impose some constraints
on F that are preserved under supersymmetry.
1.2 Chiral superelds
A chiral supereld is a supereld that satises

D

= 0. It has the
component expansion
= (x) +

(x) +F(x) +
where is a complex scalar eld, is a left-handed spinor eld, F is a com-
plex scalar auxiliary eld, and denotes extra terms built from derivatives
of these elds. The supersymmetry transformations of the component elds
are
=

= i

F
F = i

The complex conjugate of a chiral supereld is an antichiral supereld


satisfying D

= 0.
You can write an invariant action by integrating an arbitrary supereld
_
d
4
xd
4
, or by integrating a chiral supereld
_
d
4
xd
2
. The standard ki-
netic term for a chiral supereld is
S
kin
=
_
d
4
xd
4

=
_
d
4
x

+F

F
You can add a superpotential
S
pot
=
_
d
4
d
2
W() + c.c.
=
_
d
4
x W

()F
1
2
W

() + c.c.
The superpotential has to be a holomorphic function of , i.e. it can only
depend on not on

. Eliminating the auxiliary eld we have the potential


for the scalar eld
V(,

) = F

F =

2
.
1.3 Abelian vector superelds
An abelian vector supereld V is a supereld that is constrained to be real,
V

= V . Were going to impose gauge invariance under transformations


V V + +

where is a chiral supereld. In Wess-Zumino gauge a vector supereld


has the component expansion
V =

(x) +i

(x) i

(x) +
1
2

D(x)
where A

is a real vector eld,

is a spinor eld, and D is a real scalar


auxiliary eld. In WZ gauge youre just left with conventional gauge trans-
formations of A

, namely
A

(x)
with

, D invariant. One can dene a gauge-invariant eld strength for


V , namely
W

=
1
4

D


D

D

V .
One can show that W

is a chiral supereld. It lets us write a gauge-invariant


and supersymmetric action for V .
S =
_
d
4
xd
2

1
4
W

+ c.c.
=
_
d
4
x
1
4
F

+
1
2
D
2
.
1.4 Super Yang-Mills
In non-abelian gauge theory we promote V to a Hermitian matrix, V = V
a
T
a
.
Here T
a
are a set of generators normalized to Tr T
a
T
b
=
1
2

ab
. In WZ gauge V
contains the gauge eld A

= A
a

T
a
, an adjoint spinor eld

=
a

T
a
, and
an adjoint scalar auxiliary eld D = D
a
T
a
. You can couple V to a collection
of chiral multiplets
i
in (say) the fundamental representation. The general
supersymmetric and gauge-invariant action is
S =
_
d
4
xd
4

i
e
gV

i
+
__
d
4
xd
2

_
1
2
TrW

+W()
_
+ c.c.
_
.
Here g is the gauge coupling and the superpotential W is a gauge-invariant
holomorphic function of the
i
s. Gauge transformations act on these elds
via

i
e
ig

i
e
gV
e
ig

e
gV
e
ig
where is an adjoint chiral multiplet. Expanding the action in components
you nd (in WZ gauge)
S =
_
d
4
x
1
2
Tr F

(D

i
)

i
+V(
i
,

i
) + fermions
where the potential energy is a sum of F-term and D-term contributions.
V =

i
F

i
F
i
+
1
2

a
(D
a
)
2
=

2
+
1
2
g
2

a
_

i
T
a

i
_
2

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