72 research outputs found
Superpotential de-sequestering in string models
Non-perturbative superpotential cross-couplings between visible sector matter
and K\"ahler moduli can lead to significant flavour-changing neutral currents
in compactifications of type IIB string theory. Here, we compute corrections to
Yukawa couplings in orbifold models with chiral matter localised on D3-branes
and non-perturbative effects on distant D7-branes. By evaluating a threshold
correction to the D7-brane gauge coupling, we determine conditions under which
the non-perturbative corrections to the Yukawa couplings appear. The flavour
structure of the induced Yukawa coupling generically fails to be aligned with
the tree-flavour structure. We check our results by also evaluating a
correlation function of two D7-brane gauginos and a D3-brane Yukawa coupling.
Finally, by calculating a string amplitude between n hidden scalars and visible
matter we show how non-vanishing vacuum expectation values of distant D7-brane
scalars, if present, may correct visible Yukawa couplings with a flavour
structure that differs from the tree-level flavour structure.Comment: 37 pages + appendices, 8 figure
D-branes at Toric Singularities: Model Building, Yukawa Couplings and Flavour Physics
We discuss general properties of D-brane model building at toric
singularities. Using dimer techniques to obtain the gauge theory from the
structure of the singularity, we extract results on the matter sector and
superpotential of the corresponding gauge theory. We show that the number of
families in toric phases is always less than or equal to three, with a unique
exception being the zeroth Hirzebruch surface. With the physical input of three
generations we find that the lightest family of quarks is massless and the
masses of the other two can be hierarchically separated. We compute the CKM
matrix for explicit models in this setting and find the singularities possess
sufficient structure to allow for realistic mixing between generations and CP
violation.Comment: 55 pages, v2: typos corrected, minor comments adde
Radiative Fermion Masses in Local D-Brane Models
In the context of D-brane model building, we present a realistic framework
for generating fermion masses that are forbidden by global symmetries. We show
that the string theoretical Large volume scenario circumvents the standard lore
that fermion masses generated by loop effects are too small in generic gravity
mediated scenarios. We argue that the fact that in toric singularity models,
the up quark masses have always a zero eigenvalue, corresponding to the
lightest generation, is due to the presence of approximate global symmetries
that we explicitly identify in del Pezzo singularities. These symmetries are
broken by global effects and therefore proportional to inverse powers of the
volume. We estimate the generic size of radiative corrections to fermion masses
in different phenomenological manifestations of the Large volume scenario.
Concrete realizations in terms of flavor violating soft-terms are estimated and
contrasted with current bounds on flavour changing neutral currents.
Contributions from generic extra Higgs-like fields set bounds on their masses
close to the GUT scale to produce realistic fermion masses.Comment: 21 pages. v2: minor rewording and reference adde
Explicit de Sitter Flux Vacua for Global String Models with Chiral Matter
We address the open question of performing an explicit stabilisation of all
closed string moduli (including dilaton, complex structure and Kaehler moduli)
in fluxed type IIB Calabi-Yau compactifications with chiral matter. Using toric
geometry we construct Calabi-Yau manifolds with del Pezzo singularities.
D-branes located at such singularities can support the Standard Model gauge
group and matter content. In order to control complex structure moduli
stabilisation we consider Calabi-Yau manifolds which exhibit a discrete
symmetry that reduces the effective number of complex structure moduli. We
calculate the corresponding periods in the symplectic basis of invariant
three-cycles and find explicit flux vacua for concrete examples. We compute the
values of the flux superpotential and the string coupling at these vacua.
Starting from these explicit complex structure solutions, we obtain AdS and dS
minima where the Kaehler moduli are stabilised by a mixture of D-terms,
non-perturbative and perturbative alpha'-corrections as in the LARGE Volume
Scenario. In the considered example the visible sector lives at a dP_6
singularity which can be higgsed to the phenomenologically interesting class of
models at the dP_3 singularity.Comment: 49 pages, 5 figures; v2: references adde
D3/D7 Branes at Singularities: Constraints from Global Embedding and Moduli Stabilisation
In the framework of type IIB string compactifications on Calabi-Yau
orientifolds we describe how to construct consistent global embeddings of
models with fractional D3-branes and connected `flavour' D7-branes at del Pezzo
singularities with moduli stabilisation. Our results are applied to build an
explicit compact example with a left-right symmetric model at a dP_0
singularity which features three families of chiral matter and gauge coupling
unification at the intermediate scale. We show how to stabilise the moduli
obtaining a controlled de Sitter minimum and spontaneous supersymmetry
breaking. We find an interesting non-trivial dynamical relation between the
requirement of TeV-scale soft terms and the correct phenomenological values of
the unified gauge coupling and unification scale.Comment: 31 pages, 5 figures. v2: published version in JHEP, corrections in
section 2.2, Appendix A added for better illustration, typos correcte
Yukawa hierarchies at the point of in F-theory
We analyse the structure of Yukawa couplings in local SU(5) F-theory models
with enhancement. In this setting the symmetry is broken down to
SU(5) by a 7-brane configuration described by T-branes, all the Yukawa
couplings are generated in the vicinity of a point and only one family of
quarks and leptons is massive at tree-level. The other two families obtain
their masses when non-perturbative effects are taken into account, being
hierarchically lighter than the third family. However, and contrary to previous
results, we find that this hierarchy of fermion masses is not always
appropriate to reproduce measured data. We find instead that different T-brane
configurations breaking to SU(5) give rise to distinct hierarchical
patterns for the holomorphic Yukawa couplings. Only some of these patterns
allow to fit the observed fermion masses with reasonable local model parameter
values, adding further constraints to the construction of F-theory GUTs. We
consider an model where such appropriate hierarchy is realised and
compute its physical Yukawas, showing that realistic charged fermions masses
can indeed be obtained in this case.Comment: 46 pages + appendices, 5 figures. v2, added references and typos
corrected, version accepted on JHEP. v3, typos correcte
Rational F-Theory GUTs without exotics
We construct F-theory GUT models without exotic matter, leading to the MSSM
matter spectrum with potential singlet extensions. The interplay of engineering
explicit geometric setups, absence of four-dimensional anomalies, and realistic
phenomenology of the couplings places severe constraints on the allowed local
models in a given geometry. In constructions based on the spectral cover we
find no model satisfying all these requirements. We then provide a survey of
models with additional U(1) symmetries arising from rational sections of the
elliptic fibration in toric constructions and obtain phenomenologically
appealing models based on SU(5) tops. Furthermore we perform a bottom-up
exploration beyond the toric section constructions discussed in the literature
so far and identify benchmark models passing all our criteria, which can serve
as a guideline for future geometric engineering.Comment: 27 Pages, 1 Figur
New Constraints (and Motivations) for Abelian Gauge Bosons in the MeV-TeV Mass Range
We survey the phenomenological constraints on abelian gauge bosons having
masses in the MeV to multi-GeV mass range (using precision electroweak
measurements, neutrino-electron and neutrino-nucleon scattering, electron and
muon anomalous magnetic moments, upsilon decay, beam dump experiments, atomic
parity violation, low-energy neutron scattering and primordial
nucleosynthesis). We compute their implications for the three parameters that
in general describe the low-energy properties of such bosons: their mass and
their two possible types of dimensionless couplings (direct couplings to
ordinary fermions and kinetic mixing with Standard Model hypercharge). We argue
that gauge bosons with very small couplings to ordinary fermions in this mass
range are natural in string compactifications and are likely to be generic in
theories for which the gravity scale is systematically smaller than the Planck
mass - such as in extra-dimensional models - because of the necessity to
suppress proton decay. Furthermore, because its couplings are weak, in the
low-energy theory relevant to experiments at and below TeV scales the charge
gauged by the new boson can appear to be broken, both by classical effects and
by anomalies. In particular, if the new gauge charge appears to be anomalous,
anomaly cancellation does not also require the introduction of new light
fermions in the low-energy theory. Furthermore, the charge can appear to be
conserved in the low-energy theory, despite the corresponding gauge boson
having a mass. Our results reduce to those of other authors in the special
cases where there is no kinetic mixing or there is no direct coupling to
ordinary fermions, such as for recently proposed dark-matter scenarios.Comment: 49 pages + appendix, 21 figures. This is the final version which
appears in JHE
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