CPT, CP, and C transformations of fermions, and their consequences, in theories with B-L violation

Abstract

We consider the transformation properties of fermions under the discrete symmetries CPT, CP, and C in the presence of B-L violation. We thus generalize the analysis of the known properties of Majorana neutrinos, probed via neutrinoless double beta decay, to include the case of Dirac fermions with B-L violation, which can be probed via neutron-antineutron oscillations. We show that the resulting CPT phase has implications for the interplay of neutron-antineutron oscillations with external fields and sources and consider the differences in the Majorana dynamics of neutrinos and neutrons in the context of theories with self-conjugate isospin I=0 and I=1/2 fields.

23 pages; refs. and acknowledgement added with minor changes; published version