Non-Supersymmetric String-String Dualities via Enriques Surfaces

TL;DR

This paper introduces non-supersymmetric string dualities by using Enriques surfaces derived from K3 surfaces, expanding the understanding of string theory dualities beyond supersymmetric frameworks.

Contribution

It constructs non-supersymmetric dualities via orbifolds of K3 surfaces using Enriques surfaces, providing new insights into non-supersymmetric string theories.

Findings

Identification of massless and tachyonic spectra

Construction of dual pairs involving Type 0A/0B and heterotic strings

Analysis of moduli spaces in non-supersymmetric contexts

Abstract

We propose non-supersymmetric analogues of 6d N=2 Type II/heterotic dualities via a quotient of a K3 surface: an Enriques surface. We start from Type~II strings on a K3 surface and construct orbifold theories using an involution of K3. We extract the massless and tachyonic spectra and identify the moduli spaces locally. We further reinterpret the constructions as Type 0A/0B strings compactified on an Enriques surface, and argue that the theories are dual to recently constructed non-supersymmetric heterotic asymmetric orbifolds.