New Evidence for (0,2) Target Space Duality

TL;DR

This paper investigates (0,2) heterotic string compactifications using gauged linear sigma models, extending duality analysis beyond state counting to effective potentials and symmetry loci, providing new insights into string dualities.

Contribution

It extends the study of (0,2) target space duality to include effective potentials and symmetry loci, offering new evidence for duality's role in understanding string theory.

Findings

Duality relates effective potentials in dual theories

Analysis of symmetry enhancement loci supports duality

Vector bundle constraints influence vacuum structure

Abstract

In the context of (0,2) gauged linear sigma models, we explore chains of perturbatively dual heterotic string compactifications. The notion of target space duality originates in non-geometric phases and can be used to generate distinct GLSMs with shared geometric phases leading to apparently identical target space theories. To date, this duality has largely been studied at the level of counting states in the effective theories. We extend this analysis to the effective potential and loci of enhanced symmetry in dual theories. By engineering vector bundles with non-trivial constraints arising from slope-stability (i.e. D-terms) and holomorphy (i.e. F-terms) the detailed structure of the vacuum space of the dual theories can be explored. Our results give new evidence that GLSM target space duality may provide important hints towards a more complete understanding of (0,2) string dualities.