Related papers: TeV Physics from the Top Down
We review the subject of spontaneous supersymmetry breaking. First we consider supersymmetry breaking in a semiclassical theory. We illustrate it with several examples, demonstrating different phenomena, including metastable supersymmetry…
The connection between Superstring theory and the low--energy world is analyzed. In particular, the soft Supersymmetry--breaking terms arising in Supergravity theories coming from Superstrings are computed. Several solutions proposed to…
Stabilizing a heterotic string vacuum with a large expectation value of the dilaton and simultaneously breaking low-energy supersymmetry is a long-standing problem of string phenomenology. We reconsider these issues in light of the recent…
The idea that quantum gravity can be realized at the TeV scale is extremely attractive to theorists and experimentalists alike. This proposal leads to extra spacial dimensions large compared to the electroweak scale. Here we give a very…
String theory and supersymmetry are theoretical ideas that go beyond the standard model of particle physics and show promise for unifying all forces. After a brief introduction to supersymmetry, we discuss the prospects for its experimental…
In the first part of this paper I review the construction of the realistic free fermionic models, as well as current attempts to study aspects of these models in the nonperturbative framework of M- and F-theories. I discuss the recent…
We argue that the study of the statistics of the landscape of string vacua provides the first potentially predictive -- and also falsifiable -- framework for string theory. The question of whether the theory does or does not predict low…
After summarizing the status of the Standard Model, we focus on the Hierarchy Problem and why we believe this strongly suggests the need for new physics at the TeV scale. We then concentrate on theories with extra dimensions and their…
We construct supersymmetric K field theories (i.e., theories with a non-standard kinetic term) in 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions such that the bosonic sector just consists of a nonstandard kinetic term plus a potential. Further, we study the…
I review findings of various research groups regarding perturbative heterotic string model building in the last 12 months. Attention is given to recent studies of extra U(1)'s and local discrete symmetries (LDS's) in generic string models.…
We discuss whether the (MSSM) unification of gauge couplings can be accommodated in string theories with a low (TeV) string scale. This requires either power law running of the couplings or logarithmic running extremely far above the string…
Tantalizing LHC hints suggest that resonances of the Electroweak Symmetry Breaking Sector might exist at the TeV scale. We recall a few key meson-meson resonances in the GeV region that could have high-energy analogues which we compare, as…
I review the arguments in favor of/against the traditional hypothesis that the Planck, string and compactification scales are all within a couple of orders of magnitude from each other. I explain how the extreme brane-world scenario, with…
We discuss the appearance of topological structures from the spontaneous breaking of $E_6$ to the Standard Model via its maximal subgroup $SO(10) \times U(1)_\psi$. They include dumbbells, metastable strings, as well as domain walls bounded…
We show that supersymmetry can be broken mainly by hidden matter condensates in the observable matter direction in generic superstring models. This happens only when the fields whose VEVs give masses to hidden matter do not decouple at the…
Potentially realistic string models often contain additional abelian gauge factors besides the standard model group. The consequences of such extended gauge structure are manifold both for theory and phenomenology as I show focussing in the…
The recent conjecture of possible equivalence between the string scale $M_S$ and the minimal supersymmetric standard model unification scale M_U ~ 2.5 x 10^{16} GeV is considered in the context of string models. This conjecture suggests…
We give a basic review of some recent developments in local supersymmetry breaking in 4-dimensional effective theories coming from compactifications of string and M-theory in the presence of non-trivial form and geometrical fluxes.
This is a pedagogical review article surveying the various approaches towards understanding gauge coupling unification within string theory. As is well known, one of the major problems confronting string phenomenology has been an apparent…
I discuss several aspects of strings as unified theories. After recalling the difficulties of the simplest supersymmetric grand unification schemes I emphasize the distinct features of string unification. An important role in constraining…