Supersymmetry breaking as a quantum phase transition

TL;DR

This paper investigates supersymmetry breaking as a quantum phase transition in two-dimensional supersymmetric models, revealing a new scaling relation and connecting it to RG fixed points and critical behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a novel perspective on supersymmetry breaking as a quantum phase transition using the functional RG approach and uncovers a new superscaling relation.

Findings

Supersymmetry breaking is linked to an RG relevant control parameter.

A new superscaling relation between critical exponent and anomalous dimension is identified.

Supersymmetry breaking can be understood as a quantum phase transition.

Abstract

We explore supersymmetry breaking in the light of a rich fixed-point structure of two-dimensional supersymmetric Wess-Zumino models with one supercharge using the functional renormalization group (RG). We relate the dynamical breaking of supersymmetry to an RG relevant control parameter of the superpotential which is a common relevant direction of all fixed points of the system. Supersymmetry breaking can thus be understood as a quantum phase transition analogously to similar transitions in correlated fermion systems. Supersymmetry gives rise to a new superscaling relation between the critical exponent associated with the control parameter and the anomalous dimension of the field -- a scaling relation which is not known in standard spin systems.