1 Component projection of a

low-energy action
1.1 Supersymmetric sigma-model
The most general supersymmetric -model (a maximum of two space-time derivatives) is
S

, ] =
_
d
8
z K(

, ) +
_
d
6
z P() + c.c. , (1.1.1)
where
i
is a multiplet of chiral superelds,

D

i
= 0, and

i
are antichiral superelds,
D

i
= 0. We dene the components of
i
using

i
[ =
i
, D

i
[ =

2
i

,
1
4
D
2

i
[ = F
i
. (1.1.2)
Then, the projection of the superpotential is straightforward,
_
d
6
z P()
_
d
4
x
D
2
4
P()

=
_
d
4
x
D

4
D

i
P
i
()

=
_
d
4
x
_
D
2
4

i
P
i
()
1
4
D

i
D

j
P
ij
()
_

=
_
d
4
x
_
F
i
P
i
()
1
2
(
2
)
ij
P
ij
()
_
. (1.1.3)
1
2 CHAPTER 1. COMPONENT PROJECTION OF A LOW-ENERGY ACTION
The component expression for the Kahler potential takes a little more work:
_
d
8
z K(

, )
_
d
4
x
D

D
2
D

16
K(

, )

=
_
d
4
x
D

D
2
16
D

i
K
i
(

, )

=
_
d
4
x
D

D

16
_
2i

i
K
i
+D

i

D

i
K
ii
_

=
_
d
4
x
D

16
_
4i

i

D

i
K
ii
+D

i

D
2

i
K
ii
+D

i

D

i

D

j
K
iij
_

=
_
d
4
x
_

i
+
i
2

i
F
i

F
i
_
K
ii
+
1
2
_
_

j
(i

i
)

i
(
2
)
ij

F
i
_
K
iji
+ c.c.
_
+
1
4
(
2
)
ij
(

2
)
ij
K
ijij
_
. (1.1.4)
In the above, K
ii
is known as the K ahler metric. It is positive denite if every chiral/scalar
eld is to have a canonical kinetic term + corrections. The inverse metric is K
ii
. The
nonvanishing Christoel symbols are

i
jk
= K
ii
K
ijk
,
i
jk
= K
ii
K
ijk
. (1.1.5)
The algebraic equations of motion for the auxiliary elds

F
i
are
0 =
S

F
i
= P
i
+

F
i
K
ii

1
2
(

2
)
ij
K
iij
=

F
i
=
1
2

i
jk
(

2
)
jk
K
ii
P
i
, (1.1.6)
and similarly for its complex conjugate. This can be substituted back into the action to get
the superpotential
_
d
6
z P() =
_
d
4
x
_

P
i
K
ii
P
i

1
2
(
2
)
jk
(
i
jk
P
i
+P
jk
)
_
, (1.1.7)
where clearly the second term is a covariant derivative, and the K ahler potential
_
d
8
z K(

, ) =
_
d
4
x
_

_
K
ii
(
a

i
)(
a

i
) +
i
2
K
ii

P
i
K
ii
P
i
_
(1.1.8)
+
1
2
_

j
(i

i
)

i
K
iji
+ c.c.
_
+
1
4
(K
jkjk

i
jk
K
ii

i
jk
)(
2
)
jk
(

2
)
jk
_
.
The last term contains the Riemann curvature, so its time to take the geometric interpreta-
tion more seriously.
1.1.1 Covariant representation
The K ahler manifold is parametrized by the complex elds
i
. A holomorphic change of
parametrization is
i

i
= h
i
(). This is the lowest component of
i

i
= h
i
(). We
1.1. SUPERSYMMETRIC SIGMA-MODEL 3
can then calculate the innitesimal change in the other components of .

= 2
1/2
D

=

i

j

j

, (1.1.9)
F
i
=
D
2
4

=

i

j
F
j

1
2

k
(
2
)
jk
, (1.1.10)
so the
i

transforms as a vector, but F

i
transforms inhomogeneously, we will x this mo-
mentarily. First, we note that the action is invariant if
K

) = K(

, ) and P

) = P() ,
which means that K
i
and P
i
(and complex conjugates) transform as covectors and the Kahler
metric transforms covariantly
K

,ii
(

, ) =

j

i
K
,jj
(

, ) = K

ii
=

j

i
K
jj
. (1.1.11)
We can then calculate the transformation of the Christoel symbols as

i
jk
= K
ii
K

jki
=

n

l

l
mn
+

2

m
. (1.1.12)
Now we can dene a covariantly transforming auxiliary eld
F
i
cov
= F
i

1
2

i
jk
(
2
)
jk
= F
i
cov
=

i

j
F
j
cov
. (1.1.13)
Now we introduce the K ahler covariant derivatives

j
V
i
= V
i
;j
= V
i
,j
+
i
jk
V
k
,
j
V
i
= V
i;j
= V
i,j

k
ij
V
k
, (1.1.14)
and the target space covariant derivatives

=
a

+
i
jk
(
a

j
)
k

,
a

i

=
a

i

+
i
jk
(
a

j
)

k

. (1.1.15)
Finally, note that the only non-vanishing Riemann tensor components are
1
ijkl
= K
iijj
K
kk
K
ijk
K
kij
= K
iijj

k
ij
K
kk

k
ij
. (1.1.16)
Now we can write the uneliminated component result using the above covariant quantities,
/

=
_
F
i
cov
P
i

1
2
(
2
)
ij
P
;ij
+ c.c.
_
K
ii
_

i
+
i
2

i
F
i
cov

F
i
cov
_
+
1
4
(
2
)
ij
(

2
)
ij
1
ijij
. (1.1.17)
The covariant auxiliary elds equations are simply P
i
= K
ii

F
i
cov
, so the eliminated component
Lagrangian is
/

=
a

i
K
ii

i
2
K
ii

P
i
K
ii
P
i

1
2
(
2
)
ij
P
;ij

1
2
(

2
)
ij

P
;ij
+
1
4
(
2
)
ij
(

2
)
ij
1
ijij
. (1.1.18)
4 CHAPTER 1. COMPONENT PROJECTION OF A LOW-ENERGY ACTION
1.1.2 Supersymmetry breaking
The vacuum state [0 does not break supersymmetry i it is invariant under all of the super-
symmetry generators
Q

[0 =

Q

[0 = 0 . (1.1.19)
From the supersymmetry algebra, this implies that the vacuum must also be invariant
with respect to the energy-momentum generators. In particular, this implies that the en-
ergy of the vacuum is nonnegative
0[H[0 = 0[P
0
[0 =
1
4

0[

_
Q

,

Q

_
[0
_
=
1
4
__
_
Q
1
[0
_
_
2
+
_
_
Q
2
[0
_
_
2
+
_
_
Q
1
[0
_
_
2
+
_
_
Q
2
[0
_
_
2
_
. (1.1.20)
So the vacuum energy can be thought of as an order parameter for susy breaking.
In a Lorentz invariant vacuum, only the scalar elds can have a non zero value, or vacuum
expectation value (VEV):

0[
i

[0
_
=

0[
a

i
[0
_
= 0 .
Equation (1.1.19) also implies that supersymmetry is preserved by the vacuum if the vacuum
expectation value of all susy variations is zero. The variation of bosonic elds is always
fermionic, which must vanish due to Lorentz invariance, so all that matters is the variation
of the spinor elds.
0[

[0 =

2
_

0[F[0 + i(
a

0[
a
[0
_
.
the last term must vanish in a Lorentz invariant vacuum, so supersymmetry is preserved i
the auxiliary eld has no vacuum expectation value.
Now lets specialize to the Kahler models studied above. In this case, the vacuum energy
can also be seen to be nonnegative from the scalar potential of (1.1.18)
V =

P
i
K
ii
P
i
0 . (1.1.21)
It is positive semi-denite, since we required that the scalar elds have canonical kinetic
terms (so K
ii
=
ii
+ higher order terms). Supersymmetry is preserved i the VEV of the
scalar potential is zero, and since the Kahler metric is positive semi-denite, this implies that
supersymmetry is preserved i there is a solution to the simultaneous equations
P
i
() =

P
i
(

_
) = 0 . (1.1.22)
1.1. SUPERSYMMETRIC SIGMA-MODEL 5
Note that if such a solution exists, then it is automatically a minimum of the potential, so a
possible vacuum. Since P
i
= K
ii

F
i
cov
and F
i
cov
= F
i
, we see once again that supersymme-
try is broken only if there is a nonvanishing VEV for one or more of the auxiliary elds F
i
.
This is known as F-term SUSY breaking.
In general, a (false or true) vacuum is at a (local or global) minimum of the scalar
potential. Noting that K
ii
,j
= K
ik

i
kj
gives us a covariant form for the rst derivative of the
scalar potential
V
j
=

P
i
K
ii
P
i,j

P
i
K
ik

i
kj
P
i
=

P
i
K
ii
P
;ij
. (1.1.23)
If supersymmetry is not broken, then

P
i
= 0 and we are automatically at a minimum of the
potential. If supersymmetry is broken, it tells us that the nonvanishing vector

P
i
K
ii
is a null
vector for P
;ij
.
Now note that the fermion mass term is proportional to
i
P
;ij

. Assuming that the

vacuum breaks supersymmetry, equation (1.1.23) implies that the fermion mass matrix has
the null vector 0[F
i
[0 and so there must exist a massless fermion, the Goldstino. If we
think about an changing the fermion basis to one that includes the null vector, then we see
that the Goldstino is proportional to
G

0[K
ii

F
i
[0
_
.
The simplest model with F-term supersymmetry breaking has only one supereld
S[

, ] =
_
d
8
z

+
_
d
6
z f +
_
d
6
z

f

,
and the constant f can be chosen to be real. In this case, the derivative of the superpotential
is

P() = f which is non-zero, so by the above criteria, supersymmetry is broken. The

component Lagrangian is
/ =
a

a

1
2

+

FF +fF +

f

F =

ff
a

a

1
2

,
where the second equality follows from putting the auxiliary elds on-shell. Clearly this
describes a free theory with broken supersymmetry and a vacuum energy density of [f[
2
.
Both the goldstino

and its superpartner are massless. Although this model is trivial, if

the chiral eld is constrained, then we can obtain non-trivial Goldstino dynamics equivalent
to that of Akulov and Volkov. This will be investigated further in the following chapters.
6 CHAPTER 1. COMPONENT PROJECTION OF A LOW-ENERGY ACTION
The simplest interacting model of chiral superelds that breaks supersymmetry was found
by ORaifeartaigh [? ]. It requires three chiral superelds, with the canonical Kahler potential
and the superpotential
P(
i
) = m
1

2
+g
0
(
2
1

2
) ,
where again, the coupling constants can be chosen, without loss of generality, to be real.
For non-zero g
2
, the equations P
,0
= g(
2
1

2
) = 0 = m
1
= P
,2
are not compatible, so
supersymmetry is broken. The scalar potential is
V = [g[
2
[
2
1

2
[
2
+[m
1
[
2
+[m
2
+ 2g
0

1
[
2
.
Minimizing the rst two terms xes
1
and the nal term can be made zero by the appropriate
choice of
2
. This means the minimum of potential has a at direction along
0
. The fermion
mass matrix
P
ij
=
_
_
_
0 2g
1
0
2g
1
g
0
m
0 m 0
_
_
_
,
has a vanishing determinant (for m ,= 0, it has a null space of dimension 1), establishing the
existence of the massless Goldstino.
1.2 A gauged sigma-model
If the sigma model has global isometries, they can be gauged (made local) by adding suitable
gauge elds. We will assume that this is the case and start o with the most general non-
renormalizable low-energy action of interacting chiral and real (gauge) superelds,
S

, , J,

J] = S

, ] +
_
1
4
_
d
6
z f

()J

+ c.c.
_
+
_
d
8
z

, (1.2.24)
where S

, ] is as in (1.1.1) but now

i
is a multiplet of gauge covariantly chiral superelds,

i
= T

i
= 0. The second term is the eective gauge kinetic term, which is constructed
from the eld strength superelds
1
T

=
1
8

T
2
e
V
T

e
V
and the gauge kinetic function,
f

(), which at leading order is like

/g
2
and g
2
can vary for each connected component of
the Lie algebra.
2
The nal term is the Fayet-Iliopoulos term and if it is to be gauge invariant,
the coecient
a
most only be non-vanishing for abelian factors of the Lie group.
1
See the quantization of A = 1 SYM chapter for more information.
2
Note that this is not the most general case as the isometry group of the scalar manifold does not have
to be a compact Lie group, in which case the Killing vectors will be more general than
i

() = (iT

)
i
.
1.2. A GAUGED SIGMA-MODEL 7
The gauge covariant component projections of the chiral elds are exactly as in (1.1.2),
but with D

. We dene the components of the gauge eld strength as

3
J

[ =

, T
(
J

)
[ = 2iT

= i(
ab
)

ab
, T

[ = 2D

. (1.2.25)
Combined with the covariant T-algebra, this implies that
T

= T
(
J
)

1
2

, T
2
J

= 4iT


J

.
Now we can examine the component projections. The simplest term is the Fayet-Iliopoulos
term a pure D term,
S
FI
=
_
d
8
z

=
1
2
_
d
4
x

=
_
d
4
x

. (1.2.26)
The component form of the superpotential does not change from the non-gauge case (1.1.3),
except that now the components are gauge covariant.
_
d
6
z P() =
_
d
4
x
_
F
i
P
i
()
1
2
(
2
)
ij
P
ij
()
_
. (1.2.27)
The gauge kinetic term, being chiral, is also quite simple:
_
d
6
z f

()(J
2
)

=
_
d
4
x
_
f

_
D

2i

1
2
T

ab
T
ab

1
2
T

ab

T
ab
_
(1.2.28)
+

2
i
f
,i

_
2iT

_
+
_
F
i
f
,i

1
2
(
2
)
ij
f
,ij
_
(
2
)

_
,
where the dual eld strength is dened as

T
ab
=
i
2

abcd
T
cd
. The Kahler potential is similar
to (1.1.4), except extra contributions come from the gauge covariant T-algebra:
_
d
8
z K(

, ) =
_
d
4
x
T

T
2
16
T

i
K
i
(

, )

=
_
d
4
x
_
(D)
i
K
i
2
1/2
(

)
i
K
i
2
1/2
(

)
i

K
ij

2(

)
i

i
K
ii
2
1/2
(

)
i

K
ii

_
i
2

i

+T
a

i
T
a

i
F
i

F
i
_
K
ii
(1.2.29)
+
__
i
2

i
T

1
2
(
2
)
ij

F
i
_
K
iji
+ c.c.
_
+
1
4
(
2
)
ij
(

2
)
ij
K
ijij
_
.
3
Note that we will use T
ab
both for the supereld and its lowest component. This should be clear
from context. Similarly, T

=
a

T
a
will mean the gauge covariant derivative at both the supereld and
component eld level. In this chapter, we reserve for the target space covariant derivatives.
8 CHAPTER 1. COMPONENT PROJECTION OF A LOW-ENERGY ACTION
The rst two lines of the nal equality in (1.2.29) contain the component elds of the
gauge multiplet and are not explicitly real. Of course, the gauging of the susy -model is only
possible if the Kahler potential and superpontential are gauge invariant,
4
and it is exactly
the former of these properties we need to show the reality of (1.2.29):
K(

e
i
, e
i
) = K(

,

) = (T

)
i
K
i
= (

)
i
K
i
=(D)
i
K
i
= (

D)
i
K
i
and (

)
i
K
i
+ (

)
i

K
ij
= (

)
i

K
ii
.
(1.2.30)
So we can write the component expression for the Kahler potential as
_
d
8
z K(

, ) =
_
d
4
x
_
1
2
_
(D)
i
K
i
+ c.c. )

2
_
(

)
i

+ c.c.
_
K
ii

_
i
2

i

+T
a

i
T
a

i
F
i

F
i
_
K
ii
(1.2.31)
+
__
i
2

i
T

1
2
(
2
)
ij

F
i
_
K
iji
+ c.c.
_
+
1
4
(
2
)
ij
(

2
)
ij
K
ijij
_
.
1.2.1 Covariant representation
Now we rewrite the above action using the covariant objects of subsection 1.1.1, except that
now the component elds are gauge covariant and the target space covariant space-time
derivative of (1.1.15) uses gauge covariant derivatives instead of normal partial derivatives,
i.e.,
a
T
a
. The Fayet-Iliopoulos term remains unchanged.
S
FI
=
_
d
8
z

=
_
d
4
x

. (1.2.26)
The covariant form of the eective potential is functionally the same as the non-gauge case
_
d
6
z P() =
_
d
4
x
_
F
i
cov
P
i
()
1
2
(
2
)
ij
P
;ij
()
_
, (1.2.32)
which is the same as the covariantization of the gauge kinetic action, as it only eects the
nal term
_
d
6
z f

()(J
2
)

=
_
d
4
x
_
f

_
D

i(

)
1
2
(T
2
)

1
2
(T

T)

_
(1.2.33)
+

2
i
f
,i

_
2iT

_
+
_
F
i
cov
f
,i

1
2
(
2
)
ij
f
;ij
_
(
2
)

_
.
4
Only the action (1.2.24) actually needs to be invariant, so both terms only need to be invariant up to
total derivative, and the Kahler potential can be invariant up to Kahler transformations.
1.2. A GAUGED SIGMA-MODEL 9
Finally, the covariantization of the K ahler potential is also functionally the same as the
non-gauge case
_
d
8
z K(

, ) =
_
d
4
x
_
1
2
_
(D)
i
K
i
+ c.c. )

2
_
(

)
i

+ c.c.
_
K
ii

_
i
2

i

+T
a

i
T
a

i
F
i
cov

F
i
cov
_
K
ii
+
1
4
(
2
)
ij
(

2
)
ij
1
ijij
_
. (1.2.34)
The equations of motion for the auxiliary elds are
0 =
S
D

+

f

1
2

2
_

i
f
,i

+ c.c.
_
+
1
2
_
(T

)
i
K
i
+ c.c.
_
, (1.2.35)
0 =
S
F
i
cov
= P
i
+
1
4
f
,i
(
2
)

+

F
i
cov
K
ii
, and c.c. , (1.2.36)
where

f

=
1
2
(f

+

f

). These are algebraic equations, so can be simply solved for D

and
F
i
cov
then substituted back into the action to get the eliminated action.
1.2.2 Supersymmetry breaking
All the arguments at the top of subsection 1.1.2 are still relevant for the gauged case. So,
both the vacuum energy and auxiliary eld VEVs are order parameters for susy breaking.
However, now there are two types of auxiliary elds, F F
cov
and D. Susy breaking can be
of either F-type, D-type or mixed.
The vacuum potential is found from the Lagrangian by setting all derivatives and fermion
and vector elds to zero (and multiplying by 1)
V =

+
1
2
D

+
1
2
_
(D)
i
K
i
+ c.c. ) + (F
i
cov
P
i
+ c.c. ) +F
i
cov
K
ii

F
i
cov
.
Dene X

=
1
2
_
(T

)
i
K
i
+c.c. ), then the auxiliary eld equations of motion in the eective
potential approximation are D

+ X

) and

F
i
cov
= K
ii
P
i
. So we can eliminate
the auxiliary elds to get the scalar potential
V =
1
2
(

+X

)

f

+X

) +

P
i
K
ii
P
i
=
1
2
D

+F
i
cov
K
ii

F
i
cov
,
which is clearly positive semidenite and only vanishes if at least one auxiliary eld is non-
vanishing.
At a vacuum, the potential must be at a minimum
V

j
=
_
P
;ij
, (

)
i
K
ji
+
1
4
D

f
,j
_

_
F
i
cov
D

_
VEV
==== 0.
10 CHAPTER 1. COMPONENT PROJECTION OF A LOW-ENERGY ACTION
This can be combined with the gauge invariance of the superpotential

P = 0 = (

)
i
P
i
() = 0 = (

)
i
K
ii
F
i
cov
= 0 ,
which we write as
_
(

)
i
K
ji
+
1
4
D

f
,j
,
1
4
F
k
cov
f
,k
_

_
F
j
cov
D

_
= 0 ,
to get the matrix equation
_
P
;ij
(

)
i
K
ii
+
1
4
D

f
,i
(

)
i
K
ji
+
1
4
D

f
,j

1
4
F
k
cov
f
,k
__
F
j
cov
D

_
= 0 . (1.2.37)
This can be compared to the (
1
2
, 0)-fermion mass terms
/
m
1/2
=
1
2
(
2
)
ij
P
;ij
+
1
4
_

2
i
f
,i
F

+F
i
cov
f
,i
(
2
)

2(

)
i

K
ii
=
1
2
_

i
,

_
_
P
;ij
(

)
i
K
ii
+
1
4
D

f
,i
(

)
i
K
ji
+
1
4
D

f
,j

1
4
F
k
cov
f
,k
__

j

_
,
So (1.2.37) implies that there exists a massless fermion that is the Goldstino.