Related papers: Supergravity and Supersymmetry Breaking in Four an…
We construct a 6D supergravity theory which emerges as intermediate step in the compactification of the heterotic string to the supersymmetric standard model in four dimensions. The theory has N=2 supersymmetry and a gravitational sector…
We show that four-dimensional $\mathcal N=1$ effective theories of gravity obtained from string compactifications require a non-perturbative completion, as additional light states of non-perturbative origin must be incorporated in the small…
In this work we study interesting corners of the quantum gravity landscape with 8 supercharges pushing the boundaries of our current understanding. Calabi-Yau threefolds compactifications of F/M/type II theories to 6, 5 and 4 dimensions are…
A discussion of the number of degrees of freedom, and their dynamical properties, in higher derivative gravitational theories is presented. The complete non-linear sigma model for these degrees of freedom is exhibited using the method of…
Recently, a mechanism for electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) was discussed, in which the scale of EWSB is set by the scale of an additional dimension R ~ Tev^-1. The mechanism involves supersymmetry, but broken in such a fashion that high…
We review the construction of $N=1$ supergravity models where the Higgs and super-Higgs effects are simultaneously realized, with naturally vanishing classical vacuum energy and goldstino components along gauge-non-singlet directions: this…
"Brane supersymmetry breaking" is a peculiar phenomenon that can occur in perturbative orientifold vacua. It results from the simultaneous presence, in the vacuum, of non-mutually BPS sets of BPS branes and orientifolds, which leave behind…
The moduli space of the Calabi-Yau three-folds, which play a role as superstring ground states, exhibits the same {\em special geometry} that is known from nonlinear sigma models in $N=2$ supergravity theories. We discuss the symmetry…
We study supergravity models in four dimensions where the hidden sector is superconformal and strongly-coupled over several decades of energy below the Planck scale, before undergoing spontaneous breakdown of scale invariance and…
We study the structure of soft breaking terms in the context of a gaugino condensation scenario. Assuming that the Supergravity Lagrangian is the correct quantum field theory limit, at some momentum scale $\mu_{UV}$, of a more fundamental…
We study heterotic ground states in which supersymmetry is broken by coupling the momentum and winding charges of two large extra dimensions to the R-charges of the supersymmetry generators. The large dimensions give rise to towers of heavy…
A class of abelian fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds X_{m,n} is shown yield SU(2) structure, in addition to the standard SU(3) holonomy. Compactification of type II string theory on a manifold in this class give a 4D effective supergravity…
We consider the type-IIB supergravity vacua that include an internal $T^5$, depend on a single coordinate $r$ and respect a four-dimensional Poincar\'e symmetry, with the aim of highlighting low-energy spectra with broken supersymmetry and…
We construct $N=1$ supergravity models where the gauge symmetry and supersymmetry are both spontaneously broken, with naturally vanishing classical vacuum energy and unsuppressed Goldstino components along gauge non-singlet directions. We…
We consider supersymmetric theories where the standard-model quark and lepton fields are localized on a "3-brane" in extra dimensions, while the gauge and Higgs fields propagate in the bulk. If supersymmetry is broken on another 3-brane,…
In a certain strong coupling limit, compactification of the $E_8\times E_8$ heterotic string on a Calabi-Yau manifold $X$ can be described by an eleven-dimensional theory compactified on $X\times \S^1/\Z_2$. In this limit, the usual…
This thesis analyses gauged supergravities in various dimensions and their possible origin from compactifications of string theory. In the effective description the fluxes appear in the theory as deformation parameters generating a…
It is generally believed that weak scale supersymmetry implies weak scale supergravity, in the sense that the masses of the gravitino and gravitationally coupled moduli have masses below 100 TeV. This paper presents a realistic framework…
Starting from the previously constructed effective supergravity theory below the scale of U(1) breaking in orbifold compactifications of the weakly coupled heterotic string, we study the effective theory below the scale of supersymmetry…
We review the gauge symmetry breaking mechanism due to orbifold projections in orbifold model building. We explicitly show the existence of a scale of breaking if such a symmetry breaking is due to freely-acting orbifold operators only,…