Local SUSY-breaking minima in N_f=N_c SQCD?

TL;DR

This paper investigates the existence and stability of non-supersymmetric minima in N_f=N_c SQCD, revealing their dependence on non-calculable parameters and showing that certain deformations destabilize these minima, impacting phenomenological models.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the conjectured non-supersymmetric minima in N_f=N_c SQCD depend on non-calculable parameters and can be destabilized by specific deformations.

Findings

Existence of minima depends on signs of non-calculable parameters

Deformations can destabilize the conjectured minima

Implications for phenomenological models of SUSY breaking

Abstract

We study non-supersymmetric minima in N_f=N_c SQCD conjectured by Intriligator, Seiberg and Shih (ISS). We show that the existence of such minima depends on the signs of three non-calculable parameters and that no evidence can be inferred by deforming the theory. We illustrate this by demonstrating that the conjectured minimum is destabilized in a different deformation of N_f=N_c SQCD. We also comment briefly on the phenomenological consequences of this instability.