The $\mu$-Parameter of Supersymmetry

Abstract

The Higgsino mass, or equivalently the $\mu$-parameter, plays an essential role in determining the phenomenology of any supersymmetric model. Particularly, the size of the supersymmetry conserving mu-parameter must be correlated with the size of the soft supersymmetry breaking parameters. The source of this correlation in the underlying ultra-violet theory is one of the mysteries of supersymmetry model building. The puzzle and the various possibilities for its resolution are reviewed, stressing both phenomenological and theoretical aspects. New proposals in the context of supergravity and gauge-mediation frameworks for the soft supersymmetry breaking parameters are examined in some detail.