Superpotential ($W(\Phi )$)

A superpotential is a holomorphic function of chiral superfields integrated over chiral superspace, $\int d^2\theta W+h.c.$

Adding a constant to a global superpotential does not change the component action because the chiral superspace integral of that constant vanishes. Neither the F-term scalar potential nor the fermion mass matrix depends on it. This statement does not extend to supergravity, where the superpotential itself enters the gravitational potential.

For a canonical chiral superfield, an affine translation $\Phi =\Psi +s$ preserves the kinetic action up to a vanishing full-superspace term. It removes the linear superpotential term exactly when $s$ is a critical point. For $W=\alpha +\kappa \Phi +m{\Phi }^2/2+g{\Phi }^3/6$, the shifted quadratic coefficient is $M=m+gs$ with $M^2=m^2-2g\kappa$. A real shift requires a real root; the complex field permits a complex shift as well.

For canonically normalized chiral superfields, the fermion bilinear is $-\frac{1}{2}{W}_{ij}{\psi }_i{\psi }_j+h.c.$ at the chosen vacuum. Its matrix is complex symmetric. The nonnegative physical Weyl spinor masses are its singular values, and their squared sum is $\mathrm{tr}(m^{†}m)$. Using signed eigenvalues of a symmetric mass matrix instead can obscure the physical mass count.

An F-term is the highest ${\theta }^2$ component of a chiral superfield, equivalently an integral over chiral half of superspace. Its supersymmetry variation is a spacetime total derivative.

For canonical global supersymmetry, eliminating the auxiliary fields gives

A chiral superfield has a complex scalar. Minimizing its potential only on the real axis can miss supersymmetric vacua. For example $W^{\prime }(\phi )=1+{\phi }^2$ has positive potential $(1+x^2{)}^2$ for real $x$, yet its complex vacua $\phi =\pm i$ have zero energy. Supersymmetry breaking must therefore be tested in the full complex field space, not inferred from a positive minimum on an arbitrarily chosen real slice.

For canonical positive kinetic terms in global supersymmetry, $V={\sum }_k|W_k{|}^2$ has mixed Hessian matrix $V_{i\bar{j}}={\sum }_k{W}_{ki}\overline{W_{kj}}$ and holomorphic block $V_{ij}={\sum }_k\overline{W_k}{W}_{kij}$. The $2n$ real scalar squared-mass sum is $2\mathrm{tr}(m^{†}m)$ for the chiral-superfield fermion mass matrix $m=W_{ij}$. Each Weyl spinor contributes two states, giving the same fermion weighted sum. Thus their boson-minus-fermion supertrace vanishes even with F-term breaking. The holomorphic Hessian splits real scalar masses without changing their sum. Noncanonical Kähler metrics, supergravity, and radiative corrections require different formulas.

Canonical gauge interactions preserve the tree-level supertrace mass sum rule at a vacuum with vanishing D-terms. Put $C={\sum }_a{g}_a^2\Vert T_{a}v{\Vert }^2$ for the scalar expectation vector $v$. The extra real-scalar squared-mass trace is $2C$, the extra Weyl spinor squared-mass trace from gaugino mixing is $4C$, and the gauge boson squared-mass trace is $2C$. Their spin-weighted supertrace is $2C-2(4C)+3(2C)=0$. The scalar contribution comes from differentiating $\frac{1}{2}{\sum }_a{D}_a^2$; the fermionic one counts both blocks of the symmetric mixing matrix with entries $\sqrt{2}{g}_a{T}_{a}v$; the vector one follows from the covariant scalar kinetic term. Any zero-mass Goldstone bosons in the unreduced scalar Hessian do not change its trace.

The local Wilsonian effective action superpotential receives no perturbative corrections when supersymmetry is preserved, an infrared cutoff is retained and the same elementary fields are kept. The spurion selection rule for perturbative non-renormalization gives a holomorphy proof. The Kähler potential and physical couplings after wave-function renormalization can change; genuine nonperturbative superpotential terms require a separate analysis.

In a supersymmetry-preserving local Wilsonian effective action, the gauge kinetic function receives only a one-loop perturbative correction. For one simple gauge factor, $\mu df/d\mu =b_0/(8{\pi }^2)$ with $b_0=3C_2(G)-{\sum }_{i}T(R_i)$. A perturbative shift of the topological angle leaves the running coefficient invariant; the Cauchy-Riemann equations then make its holomorphic beta function independent of the gauge coupling. Holomorphic regularity and spurionic R-charges exclude higher-loop Yukawa combinations, which would require antichiral couplings. The constant is fixed by one-loop matching. This does not assert one-loop exactness of a canonically normalized physical coupling, or forbid nonperturbative terms.

// Target: quantum-field-theory.bigb

Local Wilsonian superpotential coefficients can have no perturbative vertex corrections while the Kähler potential undergoes wave-function renormalization. Canonical normalization then converts a quadratic coefficient $m$ and cubic coefficient $g$ to the displayed running coefficients. Non-renormalization of a holomorphic F-term is therefore compatible with running physical masses and interactions. The distinction requires keeping a local Wilsonian effective action separate from infrared-singular one-particle-irreducible effects and from eliminating entire massive fields.

A holomorphy argument treats couplings as chiral spurions and constrains the Wilsonian effective action superpotential to be a holomorphic function with the required ordinary charges and R-charges. Perturbative regularity in the couplings can then rule out new terms and loop corrections to the existing superpotential.

For quadratic and cubic interactions, assigning the couplings chiral spurion transformations makes each monomial formally covariant. The ordinary $U(1)$ leaves $\theta$ neutral, while the R-symmetry gives it charge one and the superpotential charge two. The neutral ratio $g\Phi /m$ and the covariant factor $m{\Phi }^2$ give the symmetry-allowed holomorphic form $m{\Phi }^{2}f(g\Phi /m)$. Perturbative regularity and tree matching are additionally needed for superpotential non-renormalization; symmetry alone leaves an arbitrary function. Fixed numerical couplings need not enjoy these formal symmetries as actual field symmetries.

In the local Wilsonian effective action, retain the elementary chiral superfields and a nonzero infrared cutoff. Promote each coefficient in $W={\sum }_A{\lambda }_A{\mathcal{O}}_A(\Phi )$ to a chiral spurion. Holomorphy excludes ${\bar{\lambda }}_A$. Assigning $R({\Phi }_i)=0$ and $R({\lambda }_A)=2$ forces a regular perturbative term of R-charge two to be linear in these spurions. Ordinary flavor charges constrain its field monomial. The perturbative gauge-coupling independence of the Wilsonian superpotential removes gauge-dependent coefficients. With the gauge coupling zero, a single holomorphic vertex cannot close a loop through free $\Phi$-${\Phi }^{†}$ propagators; extra vertices would violate the spurion degree or holomorphy. Its coefficient is therefore the tree coefficient. Gauge anomalies of the formal R-symmetry are tracked by a transforming holomorphic gauge coupling. Keeping the infrared cutoff matters: singular one-particle-irreducible terms and elimination of entire massive fields are different operations.

The background-field holomorphy method is discussed in Seiberg's non-renormalization paper.

The holomorphic coupling is $\tau =\vartheta /(2\pi )+4\pi i/g^2$. Perturbative coefficients are independent of the topological angle $\vartheta$. A holomorphic function invariant under continuous shifts of $\mathrm{Re}\tau$ is constant by the Cauchy-Riemann equations, hence a perturbative local superpotential coefficient cannot depend on $\tau$. Terms in $e^{2\pi i\tau }$ can evade this argument nonperturbatively. This does not forbid renormalization of the separate gauge kinetic F-term, or wave-function renormalization from the Kähler potential.