D-brane and F-theory Model Building

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in constructing four-dimensional string theory vacua, particularly using D-branes and F-theory, to realize the Standard Model and its extensions.

Contribution

It presents a unified approach to model building in Type II and F-theory frameworks, highlighting new possibilities with exceptional gauge groups and localization features.

Findings

Realistic Standard Model-like spectra achieved from D-branes

Extension of model building strategies to F-theory

Identification of universal features in chiral spectra

Abstract

We review recent progress in the construction of four-dimensional vacua of Type II string theory and F-theory which yield the Standard Model of particle physics (SM) or extensions thereof. In Type II orientifold compactifications the SM gauge group and chiral spectrum arise from the open string sector of the theory, namely from stacks of D-branes. The universal features of the chiral spectrum between various sets of D-branes allow for a general approach to build realistic models, which can be implemented in different setups. We describe the realisation of this strategy in Type II Calabi-Yau orientifold compactifications and Rational Conformal Field Theories, discussing the specific model building rules and features of each setting. The same philosophy can be extended to F-theory constructions. These provide new model building possibilities, as they combine the localisation properties of D-branes with exceptional gauge groups and their representations.