Moduli stabilization and SUSY breaking in heterotic orbifold string models

TL;DR

This paper explores how supersymmetry breaking and moduli stabilization occur in heterotic orbifold string models, particularly within the mini-landscape class, leading to realistic low-energy particle spectra.

Contribution

It demonstrates a mechanism for supersymmetry breaking and moduli stabilization via non-perturbative effects in a simplified heterotic orbifold model.

Findings

Non-perturbative superpotential induces SUSY breaking.

All moduli are stabilized by supergravity effects.

Low energy superparticle spectrum is derived.

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the issues of supersymmetry breaking and moduli stabilization within the context of E_8 x E_8 heterotic orbifold constructions and, in particular, we focus on the class of "mini-landscape" models. In the supersymmetric limit, these models admit an effective low energy field theory with a spectrum of states and dimensionless gauge and Yukawa couplings very much like that of the MSSM. These theories contain a non-Abelian hidden gauge sector which generates a non-perturbative superpotential leading to supersymmetry breaking and moduli stabilization. We demonstrate this effect in a simple model which contains many of the features of the more general construction. In addition, we argue that once supersymmetry is broken in a restricted sector of the theory, then all moduli are stabilized by supergravity effects. Finally, we obtain the low energy superparticle spectrum resulting from this simple model.