Exploring viable vacua of the $Z_3$-symmetric NMSSM

Understand

We explore the vacua of the $Z_3$-symmetric Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) and their stability by going beyond the simplistic paradigm that works with a tree-level neutral scalar potential and adheres to some specific flat directions in the field space.

• Key effects are demonstrated by first studying the profiles of this potential under various circumstances of physical interest via a semi-analytical approach.
• The results thereof are compared to the ones obtained from a dedicated package like \veva ~which further incorporates the thermal effects to the potential.
• Regions of the phenomenological NMSSM (pNMSSM) parameter space that render the desired symmetry breaking (DSB) vacuum absolutely stable, long- or short-lived (in relation to the age of the Universe) under quantum/thermal tunneling are delineated.