Asymmetric Orientifolds, Brane Supersymmetry Breaking and Non-BPS Branes

TL;DR

This paper introduces six-dimensional asymmetric orientifold models combining orientifold operations with T-duality, leading to supersymmetric bulk but supersymmetry-breaking brane configurations, and analyzes their stability and transitions.

Contribution

It presents a new class of models with novel brane configurations that break supersymmetry, expanding the understanding of non-BPS branes in string theory.

Findings

Models include D7-brane anti-brane pairs, non-BPS D8-branes, and D9-brane anti-brane pairs.

Transitions between different brane configurations are characterized.

Stability analysis of these configurations is provided.

Abstract

A new class of six-dimensional asymmetric orientifolds is considered where the orientifold operation is combined with T-duality. The models are supersymmetric in the bulk, but the cancellation of the tadpoles requires the introduction of brane configurations that break supersymmetry. These can be described by D7-brane anti-brane pairs, non-BPS D8-branes or D9-brane anti-brane pairs. The transition between these different configurations and their stability is analysed in detail.