Soft masses in superstring models with anomalous U(1) symmetries

Understand

We analyze the general structure of soft scalar masses emerging in superstring models involving anomalous U(1) symmetries, with the aim of characterizing more systematically the circumstances under which they can happen to be flavor universal.

• We consider both heterotic orbifold and intersecting brane models, possibly with several anomalous and non-anomalous spontaneously broken U(1) symmetries.
• The hidden sector is assumed to consist of the universal dilaton, Kahler class and complex structure moduli, which are supposed to break supersymmetry, and a minimal set of Higgs fields which compensate the Fayet-Iliopoulos terms.
• We leave the superpotential that is supposed to stabilize the hidden sector fields unspecified, but we carefully take into account the relations implied by gauge invariance and the constraints required for the existence of a metastable vacuum with vanishing cosmological constant.