Related papers: K-Theory, Reality, and Orientifolds
We study N=1 dualities in four dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories in terms of wrapping D 6-branes around 3-cycles of Calabi-Yau threefolds in type IIA string theory. We generalize the recent work of geometrical realization for the…
Brane tilings provide the most general framework in string and M-theory for matching toric Calabi-Yau singularities probed by branes with superconformal fixed points of quiver gauge theories. The brane tiling data consists of a bipartite…
The charges of the twisted D-branes of certain WZW models are determined. The twisted D-branes are labelled by twisted representations of the affine algebra, and their charge is simply the ground state multiplicity of the twisted…
A generalization of the Maldacena conjecture asserts that Type IIB string theory on $\S^5/\Z_3$ is equivalent to a certain supersymmetric $SU(N)^3$ gauge theory with bifundamental matter. To test this assertion, we analyze the wrapped…
R7-branes are a class of recently discovered non-supersymmetric real codimension-two duality defects in type IIB string theory predicted by the Swampland Cobordism Conjecture. For type IIB realizations of 6D SCFTs with $\mathcal{N} = (2,0)$…
We revisit the problem of stability of string vacua involving hyperbolic orbifolds using methods from homotopy theory and K-homology. We propose a definition of Type II string theory on such backgrounds that further carry stratified systems…
Supersymmetric Sp(k) quantum chromodynamics with 8 supercharges in space-time dimensions 3 to 6 can be realised by two different Type II brane configurations in the presence of orientifolds. Consequently, two types of magnetic quivers…
The partition function of Ramond-Ramond p-form fields in Type IIA supergravity on a ten-manifold X contains subtle phase factors that are associated with T-duality, self-duality, and the relation of the RR fields to K-theory. The analogous…
Witten has argued that charges of Type I D-branes in the presence of an H-flux, take values in twisted KO-theory. We begin with the study of real bundle gerbes and their holonomy. We then introduce the notion of real bundle gerbe KO-theory…
These lectures intend to give a pedagogical introduction into some of the developments in string theory during the last years. They include perturbative T-duality and non perturbative S- and U-dualities, their unavoidable demand for…
We construct several examples of compactification of Type IIB theory on orientifolds and discuss their duals. In six dimensions we obtain models with $N=1$ supersymmetry, multiple tensor multiplets, and different gauge groups. In nine…
We study two-dimensional SQED viewed as the world-volume theory of a D-string in the presence of D5-branes with non-zero background fields that induce attractive forces between the branes. In various approximations, the low-energy dynamics…
We show how the brane wrapping rules, recently discovered in closed oriented string theories compactified on tori, are extended to the case of the Type IIA string compactified on K3. To this aim, a crucial role is played by the duality…
We present two new backgrounds of type IIA string theory preserving 16 supercharges. One is a Wilson line for (-1) to the left-moving spacetime fermion number, and the other is an orbifold by a reflection of four coordinates, along with the…
We revisit the construction of the $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric trinification models with gauge group $\mathrm{U}(3)_C\times \mathrm{U}(3)_L \times \mathrm{U}(3)_R$ in Type IIA string theory on $\mathbf{T^6/(\mathbb{Z}_2\times…
We consider an infinite class of 5d supersymmetric gauge theories involving products of symplectic and unitary groups that arise from D4-branes at orbifold singularities in Type I' string theory. The theories are argued to be dual to warped…
We report on a broad new class of N=1 gauge theory dualities which relate the worldvolume gauge theories of D3 branes probing different orientifolds of the same Calabi-Yau singularity. In this paper, we focus on the simplest example of…
The recently observed long-range coherent structure of topological charge fluctuations in QCD is compared with theoretical expectations based on the AdS/CFT brane construction of nonsupersymmetric gauge theory by Witten. Similar…
We study different phenomenological aspects of compact, D=4, N=1 Type IIB orientifolds considered as models for unification of the standard model and gravity. We discuss the structure of the compactification, string and unification scales…
This thesis is devoted to the study of a class of constructions based on Superstring Theory, baptized in the literature as Intersecting Brane Worlds. In particular we explore several issues regarding the proposal of Intersecting Brane…