Model building with the non-supersymmetric heterotic SO(16)xSO(16) string

TL;DR

This paper reviews the construction of non-supersymmetric heterotic SO(16)xSO(16) string models on orbifolds and Calabi-Yaus, demonstrating the viability of model building with a large number of Standard Model-like solutions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that model building techniques used in supersymmetric contexts can be applied to non-supersymmetric heterotic strings, and identifies over 12,000 SM-like models.

Findings

Tachyons are absent on smooth Calabi-Yaus at leading order.

Twisted tachyons on orbifolds are lifted in full blow-up.

Over 12,000 SM-like models are identified on various orbifold geometries.

Abstract

In this talk we review recent investigations of the non-supersymmetric heterotic SO(16)xSO(16) string on orbifolds and smooth Calabi-Yaus. Using such supersymmetry preserving backgrounds allows one to re-employ commonly known model building techniques. We will argue that tachyons do not appear on smooth Calabi-Yaus to leading order in alpha' and g_s. Twisted tachyons may arise on singular orbifolds, where some of these approximations break down. However, they get lifted in full blow-up. Finally, we show that model searches is viable by identifying over 12,000 of SM-like models on various orbifold geometries.