A photino is a hypothetical subatomic particle, the fermion WIMP superpartner of the photon predicted by supersymmetry.[1][2] It is an example of a gaugino. Even though no photino has ever been observed so far, it is one of the candidates for the lightest supersymmetric particle in the universe.[3] It is proposed that photinos are produced by sources of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.[4]
| Composition | Elementary particle |
|---|---|
| Statistics | Fermionic |
| Family | Fermion |
| Interactions | Electromagnetic |
| Status | Hypothetical |
| Symbol | γ͂ |
| Electric charge | 0 e |
| Spin | 1/2 |
Photino numbers
Photinos have a lepton number 0, baryon number 0, and spin 1/2. With an R-parity of −1 it is a possible candidate for dark matter.[5] It mixes with the superpartners of the Z boson (zino) and the neutral higgs (higgsino) to form the neutralino.
See also
- Supersymmetry – Symmetry between bosons and fermions
- Photon – Elementary particle or quantum of light
- Dual photon – Hypothetical particle dual to the photon
- Electromagnetism – Fundamental interaction between charged particles