Lepton Mass Matrices Research Articles

Quark and lepton mass matrices from localization in M-theory on G2 orbifold

M-theory compactified on a ${G}_{2}$ manifold with resolved ${E}_{8}$ singularities realizes four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric gauge theories coupled to gravity with three families of Standard Model fermions. Beginning with one ${E}_{8}$ singularity, three fermion families emerge when ${E}_{8}$ is broken by geometric engineering deformations to a smaller subgroup with equal rank. In this paper, we use the local geometry of the theory to explain the origin of the three families and their mass hierarchy. We linearize the blowing up of two-cycles associated with resolving ${E}_{8}$ singularities. After imposing explicit constraints on the effectively stabilized moduli, we arrive at Yukawa couplings for the quarks and leptons. We fit the high scale Yukawa couplings approximately which results in the quark masses agreeing reasonably well with the observations, implying that the experimental hierarchy of the masses is achievable within this framework. The hierarchy separation of the top quark from the charm and up is a stringy effect, while the spitting of the charm and up also depends on the Higgs sector. The Higgs sector cannot be reduced to having a single vacuum expectation value (VEV); all three VEVs must be nonzero. Three extra $U(1)\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{s}$ survive to the low scale but are not massless, so $Z$ states are motivated to occur in the spectrum, but may be massive.

The impact of different parameterizations on the interpretation of CP violation in neutrino oscillations

CP violation in the lepton mass matrix will be probed with good precision in upcoming experiments. The amount of CP violation present in oscillations can be quantified in numerous ways and is typically parameterized by the complex phase δPDG in the standard PDG definition of the lepton mixing matrix. There are additional parameterizations of the lepton mixing matrix as well. Through various examples, we explore how, given the current data, different parameterizations can lead to different conclusions when working with parameterization dependent variables, such as δ. We demonstrate how the smallness of |Ue3| governs the scale of these results. We then demonstrate how δ can be misleading and argue that the Jarlskog is the cleanest means of presenting the amount of CP violation in the lepton sector. We also confirm that, among the different parameterizations considered, the standard PDG parameterization has a number of convenient features.

Modular invariant A4 models for quarks and leptons with generalized CP symmetry

We perform a systematical analysis of the A4 modular models with generalized CP for the masses and flavor mixing of quarks and leptons, and the most general form of the quark and lepton mass matrices is given. The CP invariance requires all couplings real in the chosen basis and thus the vacuum expectation value of the modulus τ uniquely breaks both the modular symmetry and CP symmetry. The phenomenologically viable models with minimal number of free parameters and the results of fit are presented. We find 20 models with 7 real free parameters that can accommodate the experimental data of lepton sector. We then apply A4 modular symmetry to the quark sector to explain quark masses and CKM mixing matrix, the minimal viable quark model is found to contain 10 free real parameters. Finally, we give two predictive quark-lepton unification models which use only 16 real free parameters to explain the flavor patterns of both quarks and leptons.

SU(5) GUTs with A4 modular symmetry

We combine SU(5) Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) with A4 modular symmetry and present a comprehensive analysis of the resulting quark and lepton mass matrices for all the simplest cases. Classifying the models according to the representation assignments of the matter fields under A4, we find that there are seven types of SU(5) models with A4 modular symmetry. We present 53 benchmark models with the fewest free parameters. The parameter space of each model is scanned to optimize the agreement between predictions and experimental data, and predictions for the masses and mixing parameters of quarks and leptons are given at the best fitting points. The best fit predictions for the leptonic CP violating Dirac phase, the lightest neutrino mass and the neutrinoless double beta decay parameter when displayed graphically are observed to cover a wide range of possible values, but are clustered around particular regions, allowing future neutrino experiments to discriminate between the different types of models.

Time evolution of lepton number carried by Majorana neutrinos

Abstract We revisit the time evolution of the lepton family number for an SU(2) doublet consisting of a neutrino and a charged lepton. The lepton family number is defined through the weak basis of the SU(2) doublet, where the charged lepton mass matrix is real and diagonal. The lepton family number carried by the neutrino is defined by the left-handed current of the neutrino family. For this work we assume that the neutrinos have Majorana mass. This Majorana mass term is switched on at time $t=0$ and the lepton family number evolves. Since the operator in the flavor eigenstate is continuously connected to that of the mass eigenstate, the creation and annihilation operators for the two eigenstates are related to each other. We compute the time evolution of all lepton family numbers by choosing a specific initial flavor eigenstate for a neutrino. The evolution is studied for relativistic and non-relativistic neutrinos. The non-relativistic region is of particular interest for the cosmic neutrino background predicted from Big Bang models. In that region we find that the lepton family numbers are sensitive to the Majorana and Dirac phases, the absolute mass, and the mass hierarchy of neutrinos.

Neutrino observables from a U(2) flavor symmetry

We study the predictions for $CP$ phases and absolute neutrino mass scale for broad classes of models with a U(2)-like flavor symmetry. For this purpose we consider the same special textures in neutrino and charged lepton mass matrices that are successful in the quark sector. While in the neutrino sector the U(2) structure enforces two texture zeros, the contribution of the charged lepton sector to the Pontecorvo-Maki--Nakagawa--Sakata (PMNS) matrix can be parametrized by two rotation angles. Restricting to the cases where at least one of these angles is small, we obtain three representative scenarios. In all scenarios we obtain a narrow prediction for the sum of neutrino masses in the range of 60--75 meV, possibly in the reach of upcoming galaxy survey experiments. All scenarios can be excluded if near-future experimental date provide evidence for either neutrinoless double-beta decay or inverted neutrino mass ordering.

Modular invariant flavor model of A4 and hierarchical structures at nearby fixed points

In the modular invariant flavor model of ${\mathrm{A}}_{4}$, we study the hierarchical structure of lepton/quark flavors at nearby fixed points of $\ensuremath{\tau}=i$ and $\ensuremath{\tau}=\ensuremath{\omega}$ of the modulus, which are in the fundamental domain of $\mathrm{PSL}(2,\mathbb{Z})$. These fixed points correspond to the residual symmetries ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}^{S}={I,S}$ and ${\mathbb{Z}}_{3}^{ST}={I,ST,(ST{)}^{2}}$ of ${\mathrm{A}}_{4}$, where $S$ and $T$ are generators of the ${A}_{4}$ group. The infinite $\ensuremath{\tau}=i\ensuremath{\infty}$ also preserves the residual symmetry of the subgroup ${\mathbb{Z}}_{3}^{T}={I,T,{T}^{2}}$ of ${\mathrm{A}}_{4}$. We study typical two-type mass matrices for charged leptons and quarks in terms of modular forms of weights 2, 4, and 6, while the neutrino mass matrix with the modular forms of weight 4 through the Weinberg operator. Linear modular forms are obtained approximately by performing Taylor expansion of modular forms around fixed points. By using them, the flavor structure of the lepton and quark mass matrices are examined at nearby fixed points. The hierarchical structure of these mass matrices is clearly shown in the diagonal base of $S$, $T$, and $ST$. The observed Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata and Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa mixing matrices can be reproduced at nearby fixed points in some cases of mass matrices. By scanning model parameters numerically at nearby fixed points, our discussion are confirmed for both the normal hierarchy and the inverted one of neutrino masses. Predictions are given for the sum of neutrino masses and the $CP$ violating Dirac phase of leptons at each nearby fixed point.

Towards unification of quark and lepton flavors in A_4 modular invariance

We study quark and lepton mass matrices in the A_4 modular symmetry towards the unification of the quark and lepton flavors. We adopt modular forms of weights 2 and 6 for quarks and charged leptons, while we use modular forms of weight 4 for the neutrino mass matrix which is generated by the Weinberg operator. We obtain the successful quark mass matrices, in which the down-type quark mass matrix is constructed by modular forms of weight 2, but the up-type quark mass matrix is constructed by modular forms of weight 6. The viable region of tau is close to tau =i. Lepton mass matrices also work well at nearby tau =i, which overlaps with the one of the quark sector, for the normal hierarchy of neutrino masses. In the common tau region for quarks and leptons, the predicted sum of neutrino masses is 87–120 meV taking account of its cosmological bound. Since both the Dirac CP phase delta _{CP}^ell and sin ^2theta _{23} are correlated with the sum of neutrino masses, improving its cosmological bound provides crucial tests for our scheme as well as the precise measurement of sin ^2theta _{23} and delta _{CP}^ell . The effective neutrino mass of the 0nu beta beta decay is langle m_{ee}rangle =15–31 meV. It is remarked that the modulus tau is fixed at nearby tau =i in the fundamental domain of SL(2, Z), which suggests the residual symmetry Z_2 in the quark and lepton mass matrices. The inverted hierarchy of neutrino masses is excluded by the cosmological bound of the sum of neutrino masses.

RETRACTED: Lepton number violation in a unified framework

Abstract We study the time evolution of lepton family number for a neutrino that forms an SU(2) doublet with a charged lepton. The lepton family number is defined through a weak basis of the SU(2) doublet in which the charged lepton mass matrix is a real and diagonal one. The lepton family number carried by the neutrino is defined with a left-handed current of the neutrino family. We study the time evolution of the lepton family number operator for the Majorana neutrino. To be definite, we introduce the mass term at $t=0$ and study the time evolution of the lepton family number for the later time. Since the operator in the flavor eigenstate is continuously connected to that of the mass eigenstate, the creation and annihilation operators for the flavor eigenstates are related to those of the mass eigenstates. The total lepton number of the Majorana neutrino is conserved. By choosing a specific flavor eigenstate of the neutrino as an initial state, we compute the time evolution of all lepton family numbers. They are sensitive to Majorana and Dirac phases and are also sensitive to the absolute mass and mass hierarchy of neutrinos.

Numerical analysis of neutrino physics within a high-scale supersymmetry model via machine learning

A machine learning method is applied to analyze lepton mass matrices numerically. The matrices were obtained within a framework of high-scale supersymmetry (SUSY) and a flavor symmetry, which are too complicated to be solved analytically. In this numerical calculation, the heuristic method in machine learning is adopted. Neutrino masses, mixings, and CP violation are obtained. It is found that neutrinos are normally ordered and the favorable effective Majorana mass is about [Formula: see text].

Modular $S_3$-invariant flavor model in SU(5) grand unified theory

Abstract We present a flavor model with $S_3$ modular invariance in the framework of SU(5) grand unified theory (GUT). The $S_3$ modular forms of weights $2$ and $4$ give the quark and lepton mass matrices with a common complex parameter, the modulus $\tau$. The GUT relation of down-type quarks and charged leptons is imposed by the vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the adjoint 24-dimensional Higgs multiplet in addition to the VEVs of $5$ and $\bar 5$ Higgs multiplets of SU(5). The observed Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa and Pontecorvo–Maki–Nakagawa–Sakata mixing parameters as well as the mass eigenvalues are reproduced properly. We discuss the leptonic charge–parity phase and the effective mass of the neutrinoless double beta decay with the sum of neutrino masses.

Modular invariance approach to masses and mixing of neutrino flavors

We discuss the phenomenological implications of the modular symmetry Γ(3) ≃ A 4 of lepton flavors. The mass matrices of neutrinos and charged leptons are given by fixing the modulus τ, which is the only source of the breaking of the modular invariance.

A modular A4 symmetry realization of two-zero textures of the Majorana neutrino mass matrix

We show how to realize two-zero textures of the Majorana neutrino mass matrix Mν based on modular A4 invariant models without flavons. In these models, all matter fields are assigned to three inequivalent singlets, 1, 1′ and 1″, of the finite modular group Γ3≃A4. Considering tensor products of the A4 group, it is easy to make the charged lepton mass matrix Mℓ diagonal. Since not all modular forms of a specific weight and level 3 can be arranged into three inequivalent singlets of A4 simultaneously, we can always make some entries in Mν vanish by properly assigning the representations and modular weights for the matter fields. We consider two cases where neutrino masses originate from the Weinberg operator and the type-I seesaw mechanism, respectively. For the former case, all seven viable two-zero textures of Mν (A1,2, B1,2,3,4 and C) can be realized successfully. For the latter case, only five of them (namely A1,2, B3,4 and C) can be achieved due to the intrinsic structure of the right-handed neutrino mass matrix MR in our assumption for simplicity.

Baryon asymmetry from left-right phase transition

We extend the standard model fermions by a mirror copy to realize a left-right symmetry. During a strongly first order phase transition of the spontaneous left-right symmetry breaking, the CP-violating reflections of the mirror fermions off the mirror Higgs bubbles can generate a mirror lepton asymmetry and an equal mirror baryon asymmetry. We then can obtain an ordinary baryon asymmetry through the mirror fermion decays where a dark matter scalar plays an essential role. Benefitted from a parity symmetry for solving the strong CP problem, the cosmic baryon asymmetry can be well described by the ordinary lepton mass matrices up to an overall factor. In this scenario, the Dirac CP phase in the Majorana neutrino mass matrix can provide a unique source for the required CP violation. Furthermore, the Higgs triplet for type-II seesaw as well as the first generation of mirror charged fermions can be allowed at the TeV scale.

Fitting neutrino masses in a realistic intersecting D-braneworld

The correct quark and charged lepton mass matrices along with a nearly correct CKM matrix may be naturally accommodated in a Pati-Salam model constructed from intersecting D6 branes on a $T^6/(\Z_2 \times \Z_2)$ orientifold. Furthermore, near-tribimaximal mixing for neutrinos may arise naturally due to the structure of the Yukawa matrices. Consistency with the quark and charged lepton mass matrices in combination with obtaining near-tribimaximal mixing fixes the Dirac neutrino mass matrix completely. Then, applying the seesaw mechanism for different choices of right-handed neutrino masses and running the obtained neutrino parameters down to the electroweak scale via the RGEs, we are able to make predictions for the neutrino masses and mixing angles. We obtain lepton mixing angles which are close to the observed values, $\theta_{12} =33.8^{\circ}\pm1.2^{\circ}$, $\theta_{23}=46.9^{\circ}\pm0.9^{\circ}$, and $\theta_{13}=8.56^{\circ}\pm0.20^{\circ}$. In addition, the neutrino mass-squared differences are found to be $\Delta m^2_{32} = 0.0025\pm0.0001$~eV$^2$ and $\Delta m^2_{21} = 0.000075\pm0.000003$~eV with $m_1=0.0150\pm0.0002$~eV, $m_2=0.0173\pm0.0002$~eV, and $m_3=0.053\pm 0.002$~eV so that $\sum_i m_i = 0.085\pm0.002$~eV, consistent with experimental observations.

Dirac neutrinos in the 2HDM with restrictive Abelian symmetries

Recently, there has been a growing interest in extensions of the Standard Model in which naturally small Dirac neutrino masses arise due to existence of a symmetry which protects neutrino's Diracness. Motivated by this, we consider an extension of the Standard Model with a second Higgs doublet (2HDM) and three right-handed neutrinos where lepton number is conserved and, thus, neutrinos are Dirac particles. In this framework, we identify the most restrictive texture-zero combinations for the Dirac-neutrino and charged-lepton mass matrices that lead to masses and mixings compatible with current experimental data. We then investigate, in a systematic way, which of these combinations can be realized by Abelian continuous U(1) or discrete $\mathbb{Z}_N$ symmetries. We conclude that, from the 28 initially possible sets of maximally-restricted lepton mass matrices, only 5 have a symmetry realization in the 2HDM. For these cases, one-to-one relations among the Yukawa couplings and the neutrino mass and mixing parameters are established, and the fermion interactions with the neutral and charged scalars of the 2HDM are also determined. Consequences for lepton universality in $\tau$ decays and rare lepton-flavor-violating processes are also discussed.

CP symmetries as guiding posts: Revamping tribimaximal mixing. II.

In this follow up of arXiv:1812.04663 we analyze the generalized CP symmetries of the charged lepton mass matrix compatible with the complex version of the Tri-Bi-Maximal (TBM) lepton mixing pattern. These symmetries are used to `revamp' the simplest TBM \textit{Ansatz} in a systematic way. Our generalized patterns share some of the attractive features of the original TBM matrix and are consistent with current oscillation experiments. We also discuss their phenomenological implications both for upcoming neutrino oscillation and neutrinoless double beta decay experiments.

Phenomenological study of texture zeros in lepton mass matrices of minimal left-right symmetric model

We consider the possibility of texture zeros in lepton mass matrices of the minimal left-right symmetric model (LRSM) where light neutrino mass arises from a combination of type I and type II seesaw mechanisms. Based on the allowed texture zeros in light neutrino mass matrix from neutrino and cosmology data, we make a list of all possible allowed and disallowed texture zeros in Dirac and heavy neutrino mass matrices which appear in type I and type II seesaw terms of LRSM. For the numerical analysis we consider those cases with maximum possible texture zeros in light neutrino mass matrix Mν, Dirac neutrino mass matrix MD, heavy neutrino mass matrix MRR while keeping the determinant of MRR non-vanishing, in order to use the standard type I seesaw formula. The possibility of maximum zeros reduces the free parameters of the model making it more predictive. We then compute the new physics contributions to rare decay processes like neutrinoless double beta decay, charged lepton flavour violation. We find that even for a conservative lower limit on left-right symmetry scale corresponding to heavy charged gauge boson mass 4.5 TeV, in agreement with collider bounds, for right-handed neutrino masses above 1 GeV, the new physics contributions to these rare decay processes can saturate the corresponding experimental bound.

CP Properties of Leptons within the Mirror Mechanism

Formation of quark and lepton mass matrices through intermediate states of heavy mirror fermions is capable of reproducing main qualitative properties of weak mixing matrices (CKM and PMNS matrices). The reproduction includes the hierarchy of CKM matrix elements, a general form of the PMNS matrix, involving the smallness of the neutrino mixing angle \theta_{13}, and leads to very small neutrino masses. For leptons, these properties appear only for the Dirac nature of SM neutrino and its inverse spectrum. In such a lepton system, not only do spontaneous mirror symmetry violation and the observed mass hierarchy of charged leptons (e,\mu,\tau) govern the structure of the PMNS matrix but also permit assessment of its allowed complexity, that is, the CP properties of leptons. The PMNS matrix then contains no Majorana phases and its Dirac phase \delta_{CP} corresponds to |\sin\delta_{CP}|, which is significantly smaller than unity.

Compatibility of A_{4} flavour symmetric minimal extended seesaw with (3+1) neutrino data

Motivated by the recent resurrection of the evidence for an eV scale sterile neutrino from the MiniBooNE experiment, we revisit one of the most minimal seesaw model known as the minimal extended seesaw that gives rise to a 3+1 light neutrino mass matrix. We consider the presence of A_{4} flavour symmetry which plays a non-trivial role in generating the structure of the neutrino mass matrix. Considering a diagonal charged lepton mass matrix and generic vacuum alignments of A_{4} triplet flavons, we classify the resulting mass matrices based on their textures. Keeping aside the disallowed texture zeros based on earlier studies of 3+1 neutrino textures, we categorise the remaining ones based on texture zeros, mu –tau symmetry in the 3times 3 block and hybrid textures. After pointing out the origin of such 3+1 neutrino textures to A_{4} vacuum alignments, we use the latest 3+1 neutrino oscillation data and numerically analyse the texture zeros and mu –tau symmetric cases. We find that a few of them are allowed from each category predicting interesting correlations between neutrino parameters. We also find that all of these allowed cases prefer normal hierarchical pattern of light neutrino masses over inverted hierarchy.