Nilpotent Symmetries for Matter Fields in Non-Abelian Gauge Theory: Augmented Superfield Formalism

In the framework of superfield approach to Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin (BRST) formalism, the derivation of the BRST and anti-BRST nilpotent symmetry transformations for the matter fields, present in any arbitrary interacting gauge theory, has been a long-standing problem. In our present investigation, the local, covariant, continuous and off-shell nilpotent (anti-)BRST symmetry transformations for the Dirac fields [Formula: see text] are derived in the framework of the augmented superfield formulation where the four (3 + 1)-dimensional (4D) interacting non-Abelian gauge theory is considered on the six (4 + 2)-dimensional supermanifold parametrized by the four even space–time coordinates xμand a couple of odd elements (θ and [Formula: see text]) of the Grassmann algebra. The requirement of the invariance of the matter (super)currents and the horizontality condition on the (super)manifolds leads to the derivation of the nilpotent symmetries for the matter fields as well as the gauge and the (anti)ghost fields of the theory in the general scheme of augmented superfield formalism.