Neutrino masses beyond the tree level

Abstract

Models for Majorana neutrino masses can be classified according to the level in perturbation theory at which the effective dimension five operator $LLHH$ is realized. The possibilities range from the tree-level up to the three-loop level realizations. We discuss some general aspects of this approach and speculate about a model independent classification of the possible cases. Among all the realizations, those in which the effective operator is induced by radiative corrections open the possibility for lepton number violation near -or at- the electroweak scale. We discuss some phenomenological aspects of two generic radiative realizations: the Babu-Zee model and supersymmetric models with bilinear R-parity violation.