UV completions of partial compositeness: the case for a SU(4) gauge group

We present a model of partial compositeness arising as the IR limit of a SU(4) gauge theory with only fermionic matter. This group is one of the most promising ones among a handful of possible choices allowing a symmetry breaking pattern incorporating custodial symmetry and a top partner candidate, while retaining asymptotic freedom. It is favored for not giving rise to lepto-quarks or Landau poles in the SM gauge couplings. The minimal UV theory consists of five hyperfermions in the anti-symmetric representation and three in the fundamental and anti-fundamental. The IR theory is centered around the coset SU(5)/SO(5), with top partners in the fundamental of SO(5), giving rise to one composite fermion of electric charge 5/3, three of charge 2/3 and one of charge −1/3. Electro-Weak symmetry breaking occurs via top-quark-driven vacuum misalignment. The top quark mass is generated via the mechanism of partial compositeness, while the remaining fermions acquire a mass via a standard quadratic coupling to the Higgs. We compute the top and bottom quark mass matrix and the Electro-Weak currents of the composite fermions. The model does not give rise to unacceptably large deviations from the SM Z→bb-bar decay width.