= Matter parity
{title2=$P_M=(-1)^{3(B-L)}$}
<Matter parity> assigns odd parity to the quark and lepton <chiral superfields> and even parity to the <Higgs chiral doublets> and gauge <superfields>. It is related to component <R-parity> by $R_p=P_M(-1)^{2s}$. The Lorentz-invariant action contains an even number of fermions, so conserved matter parity is equivalent to conserved <R-parity>. Products of four matter <superfields> can be even while violating <baryon number>; matter parity alone does not exclude higher-dimensional <proton-decay operators>.
Back to article page
