Perturbative Supersymmetry Breaking In Orbifolds With Wilson Line Backgrounds

TL;DR

This paper explores a perturbative method to break supersymmetry in string theory using orbifold compactifications with Wilson lines, analyzing the resulting mass splittings and phenomenological implications.

Contribution

It provides a detailed implementation of the Scherk-Schwarz mechanism in orbifold compactifications with Wilson lines, identifying conditions for supersymmetry breaking and phenomenological viability.

Findings

Mass splitting determined by U(1) R-symmetries in orbifolds.

Light Kaluza-Klein states depend on Wilson lines.

Some extra dimensions could be as large as the TeV scale.

Abstract

A way to break supersymmetry in perturbative superstring theory is the string version of the Scherk-Schwarz mechanism. There, the fermions and bosons have mass splitting due to different compactification boundary conditions. We consider the implementation of this mechanism in abelian orbifold compactifications with Wilson line backgrounds. For $Z_N$ and $Z_N\times Z_M$ orbifolds, we give the possible $U(1)$ R-symmetries which determine the mass splitting, and thus, the supersymmetry breaking at the perturbative level. The phenomenlogical viability of this mechanism implies some dimension(s) to be as large as the TeV scale. We explain how the lighter Kaluza-Klein states associated with the extra-dimension(s) have quantum numbers depending on the Wilson lines used.