The supersymmetric technique for random-matrix ensembles with zero eigenvalues

The supersymmetric technique is applied to computing the average spectral density near zero energy in the large-N limit of the random-matrix ensembles with zero eigenvalues: B, DIII-odd, and the chiral ensembles (classes AIII, BDI, and CII). The supersymmetric calculations reproduce the existing results obtained by other methods. The effect of zero eigenvalues may be interpreted as reducing the symmetry of the zero-energy supersymmetric action by breaking a certain Abelian symmetry. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.