Millimetre-Range Forces in Superstring Theories with Weak-Scale Compactification
I. Antoniadis, S. Dimopoulos, G. Dvali
TL;DR
The paper investigates millimetre-scale forces predicted by supersymmetric theories with weak-scale compactification and Scherk-Schwarz SUSY breaking. It shows that a radius modulus exists with Compton wavelength in the millimetre range and couples to matter with a strength α = 4/7, yielding a fifth force about 1/3 the strength of gravity. By using a finite-temperature analogy, it explains the ultraviolet softness and shows the vacuum energy scales as E ~ (n_F - n_B)/R^4 with no quadratic divergences. The work connects these theoretical predictions to tabletop experimental tests with MEMS/cantilever devices and argues that detection would reveal extra dimensions, while non-detection could challenge weak-scale compactification.
Abstract
We show that theories in which supersymmetry is broken via Scherk-Schwarz compactification at the weak scale, possess at least one scalar particle with Compton wavelength in the millimetre range, which mediates a force with strength 1/3 of gravity. Such forces are going to be explored in upcoming experiments using micro-electromechanical systems or cantilever technology. We also present a simple way of understanding some decoupling aspects of these theories by analogy with finite-temperature field theory.