Pure spinor superfields -- an overview

TL;DR

This paper provides an overview of pure spinor superfield formalism, a method enabling off-shell supersymmetric actions for maximally supersymmetric theories like D=10 super-Yang-Mills and D=11 supergravity.

Contribution

It summarizes the pure spinor superfield approach, highlighting its application to complex supersymmetric theories where traditional methods fail.

Findings

Pure spinor formalism facilitates off-shell supersymmetry in maximally supersymmetric theories.

Application to D=10 super-Yang-Mills and D=11 supergravity demonstrates its effectiveness.

Provides a comprehensive overview suitable for researchers in supersymmetry and supergravity.

Abstract

Maximally supersymmetric theories do not allow off-shell superspace formulations with traditional superfields containing a finite set of auxiliary fields. It has become clear that off-shell supersymmetric action formulations of such models can be achieved by the introduction of pure spinors. In this talk, an overview of this formalism is given, with emphasis on D=10 super-Yang-Mills theory and D=11 supergravity. This a somewhat expanded version of a talk presented at the workshop "Breaking of supersymmetry and ultraviolet divergences in extended supergravity" (BUDS), Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, March 25-28, 2013.