Non-Hermitian Yukawa interactions of fermions with axions: Potential microscopic origin and dynamical mass generation

Nick E. Mavromatos

doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2038/1/012019

Non-Hermitian Yukawa interactions of fermions with axions: Potential microscopic origin and dynamical mass generation

Nick E. Mavromatos^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

King's College London

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference paper › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this mini review, we discuss some recent developments regarding properties of (quantum) field-theory models containing anti-Hermitian Yukawa interactions between pseudoscalar fields (axions) and Dirac (or Majorana) fermions. Specifically, we first motivate physically such interactions, in the context of string-inspired low-energy effective field theories, involving right-handed neutrinos and axion fields. Then we proceed to discuss their formal consistency within the so-called Parity-Time-reversal(PT)-symmetry framework. Subsequently, we review dynamical mass generation, induced by the Yukawa interactions, for both fermions and axions. The Yukawa couplings are assumed weak, given that they are conjectured to have been generated by non-perturbative effects in the underlying microscopic string theory. The models under discussion contain, in addition to the Yukawa terms, also anti-Hermitian anomalous derivative couplings of the pseudoscalar fields to axial fermion currents, as well as interactions of the fermions with non-Hermitian axial backgrounds. We discuss the role of such additional couplings on the Yukawa-induced dynamically-generated masses. For the case where the fermions are right-handed neutrinos, we compare such masses with the radiative ones induced by both, the anti-Hermitian anomalous terms and the anti-Hermitian Yukawa interactions in phenomenologically relevant models.

Original language	English
Article number	012019
Journal	Journal of Physics: Conference Series
Volume	2038
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2038/1/012019
Publication status	Published - 25 Oct 2021
Event	Virtual Seminar Series on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics, PTSeminar 2020 - London, Virtual, United Kingdom Duration: 5 Mar 2021 → …

Access to Document

10.1088/1742-6596/2038/1/012019

Cite this

@article{d91625b4b8c84f84842f2ec7f07487ad,

title = "Non-Hermitian Yukawa interactions of fermions with axions: Potential microscopic origin and dynamical mass generation",

abstract = "In this mini review, we discuss some recent developments regarding properties of (quantum) field-theory models containing anti-Hermitian Yukawa interactions between pseudoscalar fields (axions) and Dirac (or Majorana) fermions. Specifically, we first motivate physically such interactions, in the context of string-inspired low-energy effective field theories, involving right-handed neutrinos and axion fields. Then we proceed to discuss their formal consistency within the so-called Parity-Time-reversal(PT)-symmetry framework. Subsequently, we review dynamical mass generation, induced by the Yukawa interactions, for both fermions and axions. The Yukawa couplings are assumed weak, given that they are conjectured to have been generated by non-perturbative effects in the underlying microscopic string theory. The models under discussion contain, in addition to the Yukawa terms, also anti-Hermitian anomalous derivative couplings of the pseudoscalar fields to axial fermion currents, as well as interactions of the fermions with non-Hermitian axial backgrounds. We discuss the role of such additional couplings on the Yukawa-induced dynamically-generated masses. For the case where the fermions are right-handed neutrinos, we compare such masses with the radiative ones induced by both, the anti-Hermitian anomalous terms and the anti-Hermitian Yukawa interactions in phenomenologically relevant models.",

author = "Mavromatos, {Nick E.}",

note = "Funding Information: The author wishes to thank C.M. Bender, F. Correa and A. Fring for the invitation to write this mini-review for the Proceedings of the virtual series on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics (XIX<vPHHQP<XX), which the author contributed to as a speaker of a seminar on the topics presented ihere. He also thanks Jean Alexandre, Sarben Sarkar and Alex Soto for discussions and collaboration. This work is supported in part by the UK Science and Technology Facilities research Council (STFC) under the research grant ST/T000759/1. The author also acknowledges participation in the COST Association Action CA18108 Quantum Gravity Phenomenology in the Multimessenger Approach (QG-MM). He also thanks the Institute of Particle Physics (IFIC-CSIC) of the University of Valencia (Valencia, Spain) for a scientific associateship (Doctor Vinculado). Funding Information: The author wishes to thank C.M. Bender, F. Correa and A. Fring for the invitation to write this mini-review for the Proceedings of the virtual series on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics (XIX<vPHHQP<XX), which the author contributed to as a speaker of a seminar on the topics presented ihere. He also thanks Jean Alexandre, Sarben Sarkar and Alex Soto for discussions and collaboration. This work is supported in part by the UK Science and Technology Facilities research Council (STFC) under the research grant ST/T000759/1. The author also acknowledges participation in the COST Association Action CA18108 Quantum Gravity Phenomenology in the Multimessenger Approach (QG-MM). He also thanks the Institute of Particle Physics (IFIC-CSIC) of the University of Valencia (Valencia, Spain ) for a scientific associateship (Doctor Vinculado). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.; Virtual Seminar Series on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics, PTSeminar 2020 ; Conference date: 05-03-2021",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

day = "25",

doi = "10.1088/1742-6596/2038/1/012019",

language = "English",

volume = "2038",

journal = "Journal of Physics: Conference Series",

issn = "1742-6588",

publisher = "IOP Publishing",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Non-Hermitian Yukawa interactions of fermions with axions

T2 - Virtual Seminar Series on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics, PTSeminar 2020

AU - Mavromatos, Nick E.

N1 - Funding Information: The author wishes to thank C.M. Bender, F. Correa and A. Fring for the invitation to write this mini-review for the Proceedings of the virtual series on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics (XIX<vPHHQP<XX), which the author contributed to as a speaker of a seminar on the topics presented ihere. He also thanks Jean Alexandre, Sarben Sarkar and Alex Soto for discussions and collaboration. This work is supported in part by the UK Science and Technology Facilities research Council (STFC) under the research grant ST/T000759/1. The author also acknowledges participation in the COST Association Action CA18108 Quantum Gravity Phenomenology in the Multimessenger Approach (QG-MM). He also thanks the Institute of Particle Physics (IFIC-CSIC) of the University of Valencia (Valencia, Spain) for a scientific associateship (Doctor Vinculado). Funding Information: The author wishes to thank C.M. Bender, F. Correa and A. Fring for the invitation to write this mini-review for the Proceedings of the virtual series on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics (XIX<vPHHQP<XX), which the author contributed to as a speaker of a seminar on the topics presented ihere. He also thanks Jean Alexandre, Sarben Sarkar and Alex Soto for discussions and collaboration. This work is supported in part by the UK Science and Technology Facilities research Council (STFC) under the research grant ST/T000759/1. The author also acknowledges participation in the COST Association Action CA18108 Quantum Gravity Phenomenology in the Multimessenger Approach (QG-MM). He also thanks the Institute of Particle Physics (IFIC-CSIC) of the University of Valencia (Valencia, Spain ) for a scientific associateship (Doctor Vinculado). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/10/25

Y1 - 2021/10/25

N2 - In this mini review, we discuss some recent developments regarding properties of (quantum) field-theory models containing anti-Hermitian Yukawa interactions between pseudoscalar fields (axions) and Dirac (or Majorana) fermions. Specifically, we first motivate physically such interactions, in the context of string-inspired low-energy effective field theories, involving right-handed neutrinos and axion fields. Then we proceed to discuss their formal consistency within the so-called Parity-Time-reversal(PT)-symmetry framework. Subsequently, we review dynamical mass generation, induced by the Yukawa interactions, for both fermions and axions. The Yukawa couplings are assumed weak, given that they are conjectured to have been generated by non-perturbative effects in the underlying microscopic string theory. The models under discussion contain, in addition to the Yukawa terms, also anti-Hermitian anomalous derivative couplings of the pseudoscalar fields to axial fermion currents, as well as interactions of the fermions with non-Hermitian axial backgrounds. We discuss the role of such additional couplings on the Yukawa-induced dynamically-generated masses. For the case where the fermions are right-handed neutrinos, we compare such masses with the radiative ones induced by both, the anti-Hermitian anomalous terms and the anti-Hermitian Yukawa interactions in phenomenologically relevant models.

AB - In this mini review, we discuss some recent developments regarding properties of (quantum) field-theory models containing anti-Hermitian Yukawa interactions between pseudoscalar fields (axions) and Dirac (or Majorana) fermions. Specifically, we first motivate physically such interactions, in the context of string-inspired low-energy effective field theories, involving right-handed neutrinos and axion fields. Then we proceed to discuss their formal consistency within the so-called Parity-Time-reversal(PT)-symmetry framework. Subsequently, we review dynamical mass generation, induced by the Yukawa interactions, for both fermions and axions. The Yukawa couplings are assumed weak, given that they are conjectured to have been generated by non-perturbative effects in the underlying microscopic string theory. The models under discussion contain, in addition to the Yukawa terms, also anti-Hermitian anomalous derivative couplings of the pseudoscalar fields to axial fermion currents, as well as interactions of the fermions with non-Hermitian axial backgrounds. We discuss the role of such additional couplings on the Yukawa-induced dynamically-generated masses. For the case where the fermions are right-handed neutrinos, we compare such masses with the radiative ones induced by both, the anti-Hermitian anomalous terms and the anti-Hermitian Yukawa interactions in phenomenologically relevant models.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119291683&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/1742-6596/2038/1/012019

DO - 10.1088/1742-6596/2038/1/012019

M3 - Conference paper

AN - SCOPUS:85119291683

SN - 1742-6588

VL - 2038

JO - Journal of Physics: Conference Series

JF - Journal of Physics: Conference Series

IS - 1

M1 - 012019

Y2 - 5 March 2021

ER -

Non-Hermitian Yukawa interactions of fermions with axions: Potential microscopic origin and dynamical mass generation

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this