Exponentially small couplings and the hierarchy problem

We propose a stringy mechanism whereby a large hierarchy between symmetry breaking scales is generated. This mechanism is based upon the existence of a fifth dimension compactified on a segment. We focus on a simple supersymmetric model with one massless Higgs field in the (3) over bar of SU(3) and another one in the 3 on each four dimensional end point of the fifth dimension. Along supersymmetric flat directions the gauge symmetry is broken down to SU(2) due to the vacuum expectation value of the Higgs fields on one of the end points. The remaining massless mode on the other end point acquires a potential due to a massive five dimensional state propagating between the end points. This potential breaks the SU(2) symmetry at an exponentially suppressed scale compared to the SU(3) breaking scale. The suppression factor depends exponentially on the mass M of the massive state and the length pi R of the fifth dimension. For reasonably large values of the length scale R one can achieve a factor of order M-W/M-GUT. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.