Supersymmetry in Particle Physics

Supersymmetry has been a central topic in particle physics since the early 1980s, and represents the culmination of the search for fundamental symmetries that has dominated particle physics for the last 50 years. Traditionally, the constituents of matter (fermions) have been regarded as essentially different from the particles (bosons) that transmit the forces between them. In supersymmetry, however, fermions and bosons are unified. This is the first textbook to provide a simple pedagogical introduction to what has been a formidably technical field. The elementary and practical treatment brings readers to the frontier of contemporary research, in particular, to the confrontation with experiments at the Large Hadron Collider. Intended primarily for first-year graduate students in particle physics, both experimental and theoretical, this volume will also be of value to researchers in experimental and phenomenological supersymmetry. Supersymmetric theories are constructed through an intuitive ‘trial and error’ approach, rather than being formal and deductive. The basic elements of spinor formalism and superfields are introduced, allowing readers to access more advanced treatments. Emphasis is placed on physical understanding, and on detailed, explicit derivations of all important steps. Many short exercises are included making for a valuable and accessible self-study tool.