Related papers: RR photons
We present four-dimensional M-theory vacua with N>0 supersymmetry which, from the perspective of perturbative Type IIA string theory, have N=0. Such vacua can appear when the compactifying 7-manifold is a U(1) fibration. The missing…
If $X$ and $Y$ are a mirror pair of Calabi--Yau threefolds, mirror symmetry should extend to an isomorphism between the type IIA string theory compactified on $X$ and the type IIB string theory compactified on $Y$, with all nonperturbative…
Motivated by D-brane scenarios, we consider a non-supersymmetric model based on the gauge symmetry U(3)_CxU(3)_LxU(3)_R$ which is equivalent to the SU(3)^3 ``trinification'' model supplemented by three U(1)s. Two U(1) combinations are…
An analysis of a special class of type II string theory compactifications is presented. We focus on recent work in one particular orientifold background of intersecting brane models and the resulting four dimensional gauge group and matter…
We introduce a new class of non-compact backgrounds of Type IIB string theory preserving eight supercharges by combining S-folds and non-perturbative 7-branes wrapping orbifolds, and study the four-dimensional superconformal field theories…
Non-perturbative D-brane instantons can generate perturbatively absent though phenomenologically relevant couplings for Type II orientifold compactifications with D-branes. We discuss the generation of the perturbatively vanishing SU(5) GUT…
Extending recent work on SU gauge theory, we engineer local string models for N=1 four-dimensional SO and USp gauge theories coupled to matter in the fundamental. The local models are type IIB orientifolds with D7 branes on a curved…
In type-II string theory compactifications on Calabi-Yau manifolds, topological string theory partition functions give a class of exact F-terms in the four-dimensional effective action. We point out that in the background of constant…
We identify the auxiliary fields in the hypermultiplets of type IIB string theory compactified on a Calabi-Yau manifold, using a combination of worldsheet and supergravity techniques. The SUSY-breaking squark and gaugino masses in type IIB…
We study a class of extremal transitions between topological distinct Calabi--Yau manifolds which have an interpretation in terms of the special massless states of a type II string compactification. In those cases where a dual heterotic…
We present orientifold models of type IIA string theory with D8-branes compactified on a two torus times a four dimensional orbifold. The orientifold group is chosen such that one coordinate of the two torus is reversed when applying…
We study Type I string theory compactified on a T^6/Z_3 orientifold. The low-energy dynamics is most conveniently analyzed in terms of D3-branes. We show that a sector of the theory, which corresponds to placing an odd number of D3-branes…
We study the weak gravity conjecture, the swampland distance conjecture and the emergence proposal for $\mathcal{N}=1$ orientifold compactifications of type IIB string theory with O3-/O7-planes. We allow for orientifold projections with…
Model building with rigid D6-branes on the Type IIA orientifold on T6/Z2xZ6' with discrete torsion is considered. The systematic search for models of particle physics is significantly reduced by proving new symmetries among different…
This article is the PhD thesis of the author. It is focused on Type II compactifications because of the potential for the construction of realistic MSSM-like compactifications. In particular we concentrate in Type IIB Calabi-Yau…
We give some simple examples of mirror Calabi-Yau fourfolds in Type II string theory. These are realised as toroidal orbifolds. Motivated by the Strominger, Yau, Zaslow argument we give explicitly the mirror transformation which maps Type…
We study the axion field range and low energy couplings in models with St\"uckelberg mixing between axions and $U(1)$ gauge bosons. It is noted that the gauge-invariant axion combination $\xi$ in the model is periodic $modulo$ an…
We consider the interplay between brane constructions and type IIA, IIB or M-theory geometries on Calabi-Yau (CY) and G_2 holonomy manifolds. This is related to N=1 (and N=2) gauge theories in four dimensions. We first discuss simple…
The study of the geometry of Calabi-Yau fourfolds is relevant for compactifications of string theory, M-theory, and F-theory to various dimensions. In the first part of this thesis, we study the action of mirror symmetry on two-dimensional…
The cancellation of U(1)-gauge and U(1)-gravitational anomalies in certain D=4 N=1 Type IIB orientifolds is analyzed in detail, from a string theory point of view. We verify the proposal that these anomalies are cancelled by a Green-Schwarz…