Superfields

Abstract

This is an introduction to the use of superfields and super space methods in supersymmetry. Superfields were introduced by Salam and Strathdee,¹ shortly after the initial work by Wess and Zumino,² They have proven to be a useful way of describing globally supersymmetric models, and superspace methods exist and are being refined for handling theories with local supersymmetry. In the past few years the small community of supergravity practitioners has split up somewhat into component people and superfield people with the former pointing out to the latter that practically all the results in supergravity were first discovered by component (ordinary field theory) methods. This is almost true (I believe W. Siegel may have anticipated some of the component results). Undoubtedly we are more at home with ordinary space field theory and our physical intuition and mathematical skills are better developed there.