$\mu$-$\tau$ symmetry breaking and CP violation in the neutrino mass matrix

Abstract

The $\mu$-$\tau$ exchange symmetry in the neutrino mass matrix and its breaking as a perturbation are discussed. The exact $\mu$-$\tau$ symmetry restricts the 2-3 and 1-3 neutrino mixing angles as $\theta_{23} = \pi/4$ and $\theta_{13} = 0$ at a zeroth order level. We claim that the $\mu$-$\tau$ symmetry breaking prefers a large CP violation to realize the observed value of $\theta_{13}$ and to keep $\theta_{23}$ nearly maximal, though an artificial choice of the $\mu$-$\tau$ breaking can tune $\theta_{23}$, irrespective of the CP phase. We exhibit several relations among the deviation of $\theta_{23}$ from $\pi/4$, $\theta_{13}$ and Dirac CP phase $\delta$, which are useful to test the $\mu$-$\tau$ breaking models in the near future experiments. We also propose a concrete model to break the $\mu$-$\tau$ exchange symmetry spontaneously and its breaking is mediated by the gauge interactions radiatively in the framework of the extended gauge model with $B-L$ and $L_\mu - L_\tau$ symmetries. As a result of the gauge mediated $\mu$-$\tau$ breaking in the neutrino mass matrix, the artificial choice is unlikely, and a large Dirac CP phase is preferable.