Z' Physics and Supersymmetry

Abstract

We review the status of heavy neutral gauge bosons, Z', with emphasis on constraints that arise in supersymmetric models, especially those motivated from superstring compactifications. We first summarize the current phenomenological constraints and the prospects for Z' detection and diagnostics at the LHC and NLC. After elaborating on the status and (lack of) predictive power for general models with an additional Z', we concentrate on motivations and successes for Z' physics in supersymmetric theories in general and in a class of superstring models in particular. We review phenomenologically viable scenarios with the Z' mass in the electroweak or in the intermediate scale region.