An analysis of soft terms in Calabi-Yau compactifications

Abstract

We perform an analysis of the soft supersymmetry-breaking terms arising in Calabi-Yau compactifications. The sigma-model contribution and the instanton correction to the Kähler potential are included in the computation. The existence of off-diagonal moduli and matter metrics gives rise to specific features as the possibility of having scalars heavier than gauginos or the presence of tachyons. Although non-universal soft terms is a natural situation, we point out that there is an interesting limit where universality is achieved. Finally, we compare these results with those of orbifold compactifications. Although they are qualitatively similar some features indeed change. For example, sum rules found in orbifold models which imply that on average the scalars are lighter than gauginos can be violated in Calabi-Yau manifolds.

one reference and two footnotes added; 18 pages, LaTeX, two PostScript figures using epsfig