Dynamical D-Terms in Supergravity

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that D-terms in supergravity, typically difficult to realize at low energies, can be dynamically generated through strong dynamics in vector-like SUSY breaking models, broadening possibilities for supersymmetry model building.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism for generating D-terms at various energy scales using strong dynamics in vector-like models, avoiding fine-tuning.

Findings

D-terms can be generated dynamically at various energy scales.

The mechanism works without fine-tuning of parameters.

Potential applications in supersymmetry and early universe cosmology.

Abstract

Most phenomenological models of supersymmetry breaking rely on nonzero F-terms rather than nonzero D-terms. An important reason why D-terms are often neglected is that it turns out to be very challenging to realize D-terms at energies parametrically smaller than the Planck scale in supergravity. As we demonstrate in this paper, all conventional difficulties may, however, be overcome if the generation of the D-term is based on strong dynamics. To illustrate our idea, we focus on a certain class of vector-like SUSY breaking models that enjoy a minimal particle content and which may be easily embedded into more complete scenarios. We are then able to show that, upon gauging a global flavor symmetry, an appropriate choice of Yukawa couplings readily allows to dynamically generate a D-term at an almost arbitrary energy scale. This includes in particular the natural and consistent realization of D-terms around, above and below the scale of grand unification in supergravity, without the need for fine-tuning of any model parameters. Our construction might therefore bear the potential to open up a new direction for model building in supersymmetry and early universe cosmology.