A Superspace Formulation of the BV Action for Higher Derivative Gauge Theories

Abstract

In this paper we analyse a certain type of higher derivative gauge theories which are known to possess BRST symmetry associated with their higher derivative structure. We first show that these theories are also invariant under a anti-BRST symmetry and a double BRST symmetry. We then discuss the invariance of these theories under shift symmetry in the superspace Batalin Vilkovisky (BV) formalism. We show that these theories are manifestly extended BRST invariant. However they are only extended anti-BRST invariant on-shell.