Moduli Stabilization from Fluxes in a Simple IIB Orientifold

TL;DR

This paper explores type IIB string theory compactifications on a specific orientifold, demonstrating how fluxes can stabilize moduli and lead to various supersymmetric vacua with fewer moduli.

Contribution

It introduces a new class of flux compactifications on T^6/Z_2 orientifold with calculable superpotentials and demonstrates moduli stabilization in these models.

Findings

Existence of N=1 supersymmetric vacua with reduced moduli

Construction of models with partial or full RR tadpole cancellation using fluxes

Examples of vacua with different supersymmetry properties

Abstract

We study novel type IIB compactifications on the T^6/Z_2 orientifold. This geometry arises in the T-dual description of Type I theory on T^6, and one normally introduces 16 space-filling D3-branes to cancel the RR tadpoles. Here, we cancel the RR tadpoles either partially or fully by turning on three-form flux in the compact geometry. The resulting (super)potential for moduli is calculable. We demonstrate that one can find many examples of N=1 supersymmetric vacua with greatly reduced numbers of moduli in this system. A few examples with N>1 supersymmetry or complete supersymmetry breaking are also discussed.