On the effective potential in higher-derivative superfield theories

TL;DR

This paper investigates one-loop quantum corrections in higher-derivative superfield theories, calculating effective potentials for specific models and discussing conditions for their equivalence with non-higher-derivative theories.

Contribution

It generalizes the calculation of the superfield effective potential to higher-derivative models and clarifies the conditions under which these theories are equivalent to extended non-higher-derivative models.

Findings

Effective potential calculated for two higher-derivative chiral superfield models.

Equivalence between higher-derivative and extended non-higher-derivative theories depends on the presence of the mass term.

Divergences indicate the conditions for the equivalence of the models.

Abstract

We study the one-loop quantum corrections for higher-derivative superfield theories, generalizing the approach for calculating the superfield effective potential. In particular, we calculate the effective potential for two versions of higher-derivative chiral superfield models. We point out that the equivalence of the higher-derivative theory for the chiral superfield and the one without higher derivatives but with an extended number of chiral superfields occurs only when the mass term is contained in the general Lagrangian. The presence of divergences can be taken as an indication of this equivalence.