Non-Supersymmetric String Theory
High Energy Physics - Theory
2015-05-13 v2
Abstract
A class of non-supersymmetric string backgrounds can be constructed using twists that involve space-time fermion parity. We propose a non-perturbative definition of string theory in these backgrounds via gauge theories with supersymmetry softly broken by twisted boundary conditions. The perturbative string spectrum is reproduced, and qualitative effects of the interactions are discussed. Along the way, we find an interesting mechanism for inflation. The end state of closed string tachyon condensation is a highly excited state in the gauge theory which, in all likelihood, does not have a geometric interpretation.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0904.3498,
title = {Non-Supersymmetric String Theory},
author = {Emil J. Martinec and Daniel Robbins and Savdeep Sethi},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0904.3498},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
35 pages, 2 figures; revision adds a computation of the relevant orbifold states