Mirror symmetry in two steps: A-I-B

We suggest an interpretation of mirror symmetry for toric varieties via an equivalence of two conformal field theories. The first theory is the twisted sigma model of a toric variety in the infinite volume limit (the A-model). The second theory is an intermediate model, which we call the I-model. The equivalence between the A-model and the I-model is achieved by realizing the former as a deformation of a linear sigma model with a complex torus as the target and then applying to it a version of the T-duality. On the other hand, the I-model is closely related to the twisted Landau-Ginzburg model (the B-model) that is mirror dual to the A-model. Thus, the mirror symmetry is realized in two steps, via the I-model. In particular, we obtain a natural interpretation of the superpotential of the Landau-Ginzburg model as the sum of terms corresponding to the components of a divisor in the toric variety. We also relate the cohomology of the supercharges of the I-model to the chiral de Rham complex and the quantum cohomology of the underlying toric variety.Comment: 50 pages; revised versio

Deforming, revolving and resolving - New paths in the string theory landscape

In this paper we investigate the properties of series of vacua in the string theory landscape. In particular, we study minima to the flux potential in type IIB compactifications on the mirror quintic. Using geometric transitions, we embed its one dimensional complex structure moduli space in that of another Calabi-Yau with h^{1,1}=86 and h^{2,1}=2. We then show how to construct infinite series of continuously connected minima to the mirror quintic potential by moving into this larger moduli space, applying its monodromies, and moving back. We provide an example of such series, and discuss their implications for the string theory landscape.Comment: 41 pages, 5 figures; minor corrections, published versio

Landau-Ginzburg/Calabi-Yau correspondence, global mirror symmetry and Orlov equivalence

We show that the Gromov-Witten theory of Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces matches, in genus zero and after an analytic continuation, the quantum singularity theory (FJRW theory) recently introduced by Fan, Jarvis and Ruan following ideas of Witten. Moreover, on both sides, we highlight two remarkable integral local systems arising from the common formalism of Gamma-integral structures applied to the derived category of the hypersurface {W=0} and to the category of graded matrix factorizations of W. In this setup, we prove that the analytic continuation matches Orlov equivalence between the two above categories.Comment: 72pages, v2: Appendix B and references added. Typos corrected, v3: several mistakes corrected, final versio