Non-Supersymmetric AdS from String Theory

TL;DR

This paper constructs non-supersymmetric AdS3 solutions in heterotic string theory, demonstrating their quantum stability, lack of tachyons, and potential for studying quantum gravity without supersymmetry.

Contribution

It presents new non-supersymmetric AdS3 backgrounds in heterotic string theory with quantum stability and parametric control, expanding the landscape of string vacua.

Findings

Most backgrounds have a classical worldsheet description.

One-loop corrections increase the cosmological constant but do not produce de Sitter space.

No tachyons below the BF bound are found.

Abstract

We construct non-supersymmetric AdS3 solutions of the O(16)xO(16) heterotic string. Most of the backgrounds have a classical worldsheet definition but are quantum string vacua in the sense that string loop corrections change the curvature of spacetime. At one-loop, the change in the cosmological constant is positive but never sufficient to uplift to de Sitter space. By computing the spectrum of spacetime scalars, we show that there are no tachyons below the BF bound. We also show that there is a solution with no spacetime NS-NS flux. This background has no classical string limit. Surprisingly, there appears to be parametric control over these constructions, which provide a framework for exploring quantum gravity and holography without supersymmetry.