Quantum scale invariance, cosmological constant and hierarchy problem

We construct a class of theories which are scale-invariant on quantum level in all orders of perturbation theory. In a subclass of these models scale invariance is spontaneously broken, leading to the existence of a massless dilaton. The applications of these results to the problem of stability of the electroweak scale against quantum corrections, to the cosmological constant problem and to dark energy are discussed. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.