From strings to the MSSM

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in embedding the supersymmetric standard model into string theory, focusing on models with realistic features like the MSSM spectrum, R parity, and neutrino masses.

Contribution

It presents a search strategy for finding promising string vacua with MSSM-like features, incorporating aspects of grand unification.

Findings

Global string-derived models with MSSM spectrum below unification scale

Models exhibit R parity and hierarchical Yukawa couplings

Solutions to the mu problem and neutrino mass generation

Abstract

We review recent progress in embedding the supersymmetric standard model into string theory. We discuss how, with the incorporation of certain aspects of grand unification, a search strategy can be developed that allows to efficiently find rather large numbers of promising string vacua. Global string-derived models with the following features are discussed: (i) exact MSSM spectrum below the unification scale; (ii) R parity; (iii) hierarchical Yukawa couplings with non-trivial mixing; (iv) solution to the mu problem; (v) see-saw suppressed neutrino masses.