The neutralino sector of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric Standard Model

The next-to-minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) includes a Higgs iso-singlet superfield in addition to the two Higgs doublet superfields of the minimal extension. If the Higgs fields remain weakly coupled up to the GUT scale, as naturally motivated by the concept of supersymmetry, the mixing between singlet and doublet fields is small and can be treated perturbatively. The mass spectrum and mixing matrix of the neutralino sector can be analyzed analytically and the structure of this 5-state system is under good theoretical control. We also determine decay modes and production channels in sfermion cascade decays to these particles at the LHC and pair production in e(+)e(-) colliders. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.