Spontaneous supersymmetry breaking by large- N matrices

Abstract

Motivated by supersymmetry breaking in matrix model formulations of superstrings, we present some concrete models, in which the supersymmetry is preserved for any finite N, but gets broken at infinite N, where N is the rank of matrix variables. The models are defined as supersymmetric field theories coupled to some matrix models, and in the induced action obtained after integrating out the matrices, supersymmetry is spontaneously broken only when N is infinity. In our models, the large value of N gives a natural explanation for the origin of small parameters appearing in the field theories which trigger the supersymmetry breaking. In particular, in the case of the O'Raifeartaigh model coupled to a certain supersymmetric matrix model, a nonsupersymmetric metastable vacuum appears near the origin of the field space, which is far from the position of the supersymmetric vacuum. We estimate its lifetime as a function of N.