Related papers: Resolution of Orbifold Singularities in String The…
These proceedings are based on lectures delivered at the "RTN Winter School on Strings, Supergravity and Gauge Theories", CERN, January 16 - January 20, 2006. The school was mainly aimed at Ph.D. students and young postdocs. The lectures…
In this dissertation, we study various aspects of type IIB string theory compactified on freely acting orbifolds. We focus particularly on asymmetric orbifolds, which are examples of non-geometric string compactifications and constitute an…
Spinor-vector dualities have been established in various exact string realisations like orbifold and free fermionic constructions. This paper aims to investigate possibility of having spinor-vector dualities on smooth geometries in the…
We consider M-theory on (T^2\times R^2)/Z_n with M5 branes wrapped on R^2. One can probe this background with M5 branes wrapped on T^2. The theories on the probes provide many new examples of N=2 field theories without Lagrangian…
We derive a class of solutions to the string sigma-model equations for the closed bosonic string. The tachyon field is taken to form a constant condensate and the beta-function equations at one-loop level are solved for the evolution of the…
We study the BPS black hole solutions of the (truncated) action for heterotic string theory compactified on a six-torus. The O(3,Z) duality symmetry of the theory, together with the bound state interpretation of extreme black holes, is used…
We use mirror symmetry to establish the first concrete arena of spacetime topology change in string theory. In particular, we establish that the {\it quantum theories} based on certain nonlinear sigma models with topologically distinct…
We revisit our construction of mirror symmetries for compactifications of Type II superstrings on twisted connected sum $G_2$ manifolds. For a given $G_2$ manifold, we discuss evidence for the existence of mirror symmetries of two kinds:…
We consider worldsheet string theory on $Z_N$ orbifolds of $AdS_3$ associated with conical singularities. If the orbifold action includes a similar twist of $S^3$, supersymmetry is preserved, and there is a moduli space of vacua arising…
We analyze solutions of string theory and supergravity which involve real hyperbolic spaces. Examples of string compactifications are given in terms of hyperbolic coset spaces of finite volume $\Gamma\backslash {\mathbb H}^N$, where…
Using D2-brane probes, we study various properties of M-theory on singular, non-compact manifolds of G_2 and Spin(7) holonomy. We derive mirror pairs of N=1 supersymmetric three-dimensional gauge theories, and apply this technique to…
We investigate nonsupersymmetric $\BC^4/\BZ_N$ orbifold singularities using their description in terms of the string worldsheet conformal field theory and its close relation with the toric geometry description of these singularities and…
These are notes based on lectures given at TASI99. We review the geometry of the moduli space of N=2 theories in four dimensions from the point of view of superstring compactification. The cases of a type IIA or type IIB string compactified…
The condition of having an $N=1$ spacetime supersymmetry for heterotic string leads to 4 distinct possibilities for compactifications namely compactifications down to 6,4,3 and 2 dimensions. Compactifications to 6 and 4 dimensions have been…
A Calabi-Yau orbifold is locally modeled on C^n/G where G is a finite subgroup of SL(n, C). In dimension n=3 a crepant resolution is given by Nakamura's G-Hilbert scheme. This crepant resolution has a description as a GIT/symplectic…
These notes are devoted to explaining aspects of the mirror manifold problem that can be naturally understood from the point of view of topological field theory. Basically this involves studying the topological field theories made by…
We review the structure of the moduli space of particular N = (2,2) superconformal field theories. We restrict attention to those of particular use in superstring compactification, namely those with central charge c = 3d for some integer d…
In this note we study the resolution of conifold singularity by D-branes by considering compactification of D-branes on $\C^3/(\Z_2\times\Z_2)$. The resulting vacuum moduli space of D-branes is a toric variety which turns out to be a…
We consider Type II string theories on ${\bf T^n}/{{\bf Z_2}^m}$ Joyce orbifolds. This class contains orbifolds which can be desingularised to give manifolds of $G_2$ $({\bf n}$$=$$7)$ and $Spin(7)$ holonomy $({\bf n}$$=$$8)$. In the $G_2$…
We study the singularities of the Higgs branch of supersymmetric U(1)^r gauge theories with eight supercharges. We derive new solutions for the moduli space of vacua preserving manifestly the eight supercharges by using a geometric…