Nondecoupling in multi-Higgs doublet models

Abstract

We consider models with any number of Higgs doublets and study the conditions for decoupling. We show that, under very general circumstances, all the quadratic coefficients of the scalar potential must be present, except in special cases, which include terms related to directions of vanishing vacuum expectation values. We give a few examples. Moreover, we show that the decoupling of all charged scalars implies the decoupling of all extra neutral scalars and vanishing CP violation in scalar-pseudoscalar mixing.