Taking a vector supermultiplet apart: Alternative Fayet–Iliopoulos-type terms

Abstract

Starting from an Abelian N=1 vector supermultiplet V coupled to conformal supergravity, we construct from it a nilpotent real scalar Goldstino superfield V of the type proposed in arXiv:1702.02423. It contains only two independent component fields, the Goldstino and the auxiliary D-field. The important properties of this Goldstino superfield are: (i) it is gauge invariant; and (ii) it is super-Weyl invariant. As a result, the gauge prepotential can be represented as V=V+V, where V contains only one independent component field, modulo gauge degrees of freedom, which is the gauge one-form. Making use of V allows us to introduce new Fayet–Iliopoulos-type terms, which differ from the one proposed in arXiv:1712.08601 and share with the latter the property that gauged R-symmetry is not required.