Modular Origin of Mass Hierarchy: Froggatt-Nielsen like Mechanism

Abstract

We study Froggatt-Nielsen (FN) like flavor models with modular symmetry. The FN mechanism is a convincing solution to the flavor puzzle in quark sector. The FN mechanism requires an extra $U(1)$ gauge symmetry which is broken at high energy. Alternatively, in the framework of modular symmetry the modular weights can play the role of the FN charges of the extra $U(1)$ symmetry. Based on the FN-like mechanism with modular symmetry we present new flavor models for quark sector. Assuming that the three generations have a common representation under modular symmetry, our models simply reproduce the FN-like Yukawa matrices. We also show that the realistic mass hierarchy and mixing angles, which are related each other through the modular parameters and a scalar vev, can be realized in models with several finite modular groups (and their double covering groups) without unnatural hierarchical parameters.