Related papers: Instantons, Hypermultiplets and the Heterotic Stri…
We explore a relation between four-dimensional N=2 heterotic vacua induced by Mirror Symmetry via Heterotic/Type II duality. It allows us to compute the \alpha' corrections to the hypermultiplet moduli space of heterotic compactifications…
In this paper we show how S-duality of type IIB superstrings leads to an S-duality relating A and B model topological strings on the same Calabi-Yau as had been conjectured recently: D-instantons of the B-model correspond to A-model…
Heterotic string theory compactified on a K3 surface times T^2 is believed to be equivalent to type II string theory on a suitable Calabi-Yau threefold. In particular, it must share the same hypermultiplet moduli space. Building on the…
We attempt to find a rigorous formulation for the massive type IIA orientifold compactifications of string theory introduced in hep-th/0505160. An approximate double T-duality converts this background into IIA string theory on a twisted…
We reconsider the question of which Calabi-Yau compactifications of the heterotic string are stable under world-sheet instanton corrections to the effective space-time superpotential. For instance, compactifications described by (0,2)…
We propose a construction of K\"ahler and non-K\"ahler Calabi-Yau manifolds by branched double covers of twistor spaces. In this construction we use the twistor spaces of four-manifolds with self-dual conformal structures, with the examples…
We show that certain superpotential and Kahler potential couplings of N=1 supersymmetric compactifications with branes or bundles can be computed from Hodge theory and mirror symmetry. This applies to F-theory on a Calabi-Yau four-fold and…
We consider, in flux compactification of heterotic string theory, spacetime-filling five-branes. Stabilizing the fivebrane involves minimizing the combined energy density of the tension and a Coulomb potential associated with an internal…
We study heterotic $E_8\times E_8$ models that are dual to compactifications of F-theory and type IIA string on certain classes of elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau manifolds. Different choices for the specific torus in the fibration have…
We express the infinite sum of D-fivebrane instanton corrections to ${\cal R}^2$ couplings in ${\cal N}=4$ type I string vacua, in terms of an elliptic index counting 1/2-BPS excitations in the effective $Sp(N)$ brane theory. We compute the…
Quantum non-perturbative geometry of the universal hypermultiplet is investigated. We consider the simple case when the D-instantons, originating from the Calabi-Yau wrapped D2-branes, preserve a U(1)xU(1) symmetry of the universal…
The Becker-Becker-Strominger formula, describing the string world-sheet instanton corrections to the four-fermion correlator in the Calabi-Yau compactified type-IIA superstrings, is calculated in the special case of the Calabi-Yau threefold…
We analyze the map between heterotic and type II N=2 supersymmetric string theories for certain two and three moduli examples found by Kachru and Vafa. The appearance of elliptic j-functions can be traced back to specializations of the…
In this paper we study the geometry of manifolds with vector cross product and its complexification. First we develop the theory of instantons and branes and study their deformations. For example they are (i) holomorphic curves and…
The non-perturbative dynamics of quantum field theories is studied using theoretical tools inspired by string formalism. Two main lines are developed: the analysis of stringy instantons in a class of four-dimensional N=2 gauge theories and…
We extend the investigation of special toroidal compactifications of heterotic string theory for which the half-BPS states provide representations of subgroups of the Conway group. We also explore dual descriptions of these theories and…
We investigate quantum corrections to the moduli space for hypermultiplets for type IIA near a conifold singularity. We find a unique quantum deformation based on symmetry arguments which is consistent with a recent conjecture. The…
We discuss K-theoretic matching of D-brane charges in the string duality between type I on the 4-torus and type IIA on a K3 surface. This case is more complex than the familiar case of IIA/IIB duality, which is already well understood, but…
We analyze the hypermultiplet moduli space describing the universal sector of type IIA theory compactified on a Calabi-Yau threefold. The classical moduli space is described in terms of the coset $SU(2,1)/U(2)$. The flux quantization…
We compute certain one-loop corrections to F^4 couplings of the heterotic string compactified on T^2, and show that they can be characterized by holomorphic prepotentials. We then discuss how some of these couplings can be obtained in…