Supersymmetric contributions to weak decay correlation coefficients

Abstract

We study supersymmetric contributions to correlation coefficients that characterize the spectral shape and angular distribution for polarized µ- and beta-decays. In the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), one-loop box graphs containing superpartners can give rise to non-(V-A)[direct-product](V-A) four-fermion operators in the presence of left-right or flavor mixing between sfermions. We analyze the present phenomenological constraints on such mixing and determine the range of allowed contributions to the weak decay correlation coefficients. We discuss the prospective implications for future µ- and beta-decay experiments, and argue that they may provide unique probes of left-right mixing in the first generation scalar fermion sector.