Related papers: Stringent Phenomenological Investigation into Hete…
The lower limit to string coupling unification in weakly coupled heterotic strings was shown by Kaplunovsky to be around Lambda_H ~ 5 x 10^{17} GeV. In contrast, under the scenario of an intermediate scale desert, the SU(3)_C x SU(2)_L x…
Recently J. Giedt discussed a mechanism, entitled optical unification, whereby string scale unification is facilitated via exotic matter with intermediate scale mass. This mechanism guarantees that a virtual MSSM unification below 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 discuss the unification of gauge couplings within the framework of a wide class of realistic free-fermionic string models which have appeared in the literature, including the flipped SU(5), SO(6)xSO(4), and various SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1)…
The minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), is perhaps the leading candidate for new physics beyond the standard model, but it encounters difficulties with string gauge unification and in addition does not shed any light on the…
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…
A long-standing problem in string phenomenology has been the fact that the string unification scale disagrees with the GUT scale obtained by extrapolating low-energy data within the framework of the minimal supersymmetric standard model…
The aim of superstring phenomenology is to develop the tools and methodology needed to confront string theory with experimental data. The first mandatory task is to find string solutions which reproduce the observable data. The subsequent…
Motivated by the fact that the string scale can be many orders of magnitude lower than the Planck mass, we investigate the required modifications in the MSSM $\beta$--functions in order to achieve intermediate ($10^{10-13}$GeV) scale…
We study the evolution of the gauge coupling constants in string unification schemes in which the light spectrum below the compactification scale is exactly that of the minimal supersymmetric standard model. In the absence of string…
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…
Three family SU(3)_C x SU(2)_L x U(1)_Y string models in several constructions generically possess two features: (i) an extra local anomalous U(1)_A and (ii) numerous (often fractionally charged) exotic particles beyond those in the minimal…
Maximally Natural Supersymmetry, an unusual weak-scale supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model based upon the inherently higher-dimensional mechanism of Scherk-Schwarz supersymmetry breaking (SSSB), possesses remarkably good fine…
Soft supersymmetry breaking terms were recently derived for type IIB string flux compactifications with all moduli stabilised. Depending on the choice of the discrete input parameters of the compactification such as fluxes and ranks of…
Recently, we demonstrated the existence of heterotic--string solutions in which the observable sector effective field theory just below the string scale reduces to that of the MSSM, with the standard observable gauge group being just…
We calculate the weak scale MSSM spectrum starting from a heterotic string theory compactified on an anisotropic orbifold. Supersymmetry breaking is mediated by vector-like exotics that arise naturally in heterotic string theories. The…
The commonly accepted notion of a weak unified coupling $\alpha_X \approx 0.04$, based on the assumption of the MSSM--spectrum, is questioned. It is suggested that the four--dimensional unified string coupling should very likely have an…
Quasi--realistic heterotic-string models in the free fermionic formulation typically contain an anomalous U(1), which gives rise to a Fayet-Iliopolous term that breaks supersymmetry at the one--loop level in string perturbation theory.…
We continue the investigation of the physics implications of a class of flat directions for a prototype quasi-realistic free fermionic string model (CHL5), building upon the results of the previous paper in which the complete mass spectrum…
We discuss string scale unification facilitated by exotic matter with masses at intermediate scales, between the observable sector supersymmetry breaking scale and the string scale. We point out a mechanism by which string scale unification…