Non-perturbative superpotentials in string theory

Edward Witten

doi:10.1016/0550-3213(96)00283-0

Non-perturbative superpotentials in string theory

Edward Witten

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

432 Scopus citations

Abstract

The non-perturbative superpotential can be effectively calculated in M-theory compactification to three dimensions on a Calabi-Yau four-fold X. For certain X, the superpotential is identically zero, while for other X, a non-perturbative superpotential is generated. Using F-theory, these results carry over to certain Type IIB and heterotic string compactifications to four dimensions with N = 1 supersymmetry. In the heterotic string case, the non-perturbative superpotential can be interpreted as coming from space-time and world-sheet instantons; in many simple cases contributions come only from finitely many values of the instanton numbers.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	343-360
Number of pages	18
Journal	Nuclear Physics B
Volume	474
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0550-3213(96)00283-0
State	Published - Aug 26 1996
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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10.1016/0550-3213(96)00283-0

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title = "Non-perturbative superpotentials in string theory",

abstract = "The non-perturbative superpotential can be effectively calculated in M-theory compactification to three dimensions on a Calabi-Yau four-fold X. For certain X, the superpotential is identically zero, while for other X, a non-perturbative superpotential is generated. Using F-theory, these results carry over to certain Type IIB and heterotic string compactifications to four dimensions with N = 1 supersymmetry. In the heterotic string case, the non-perturbative superpotential can be interpreted as coming from space-time and world-sheet instantons; in many simple cases contributions come only from finitely many values of the instanton numbers.",

author = "Edward Witten",

note = "Funding Information: 1 Research supported in part by NSF grant PHY-9513835.",

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N2 - The non-perturbative superpotential can be effectively calculated in M-theory compactification to three dimensions on a Calabi-Yau four-fold X. For certain X, the superpotential is identically zero, while for other X, a non-perturbative superpotential is generated. Using F-theory, these results carry over to certain Type IIB and heterotic string compactifications to four dimensions with N = 1 supersymmetry. In the heterotic string case, the non-perturbative superpotential can be interpreted as coming from space-time and world-sheet instantons; in many simple cases contributions come only from finitely many values of the instanton numbers.

AB - The non-perturbative superpotential can be effectively calculated in M-theory compactification to three dimensions on a Calabi-Yau four-fold X. For certain X, the superpotential is identically zero, while for other X, a non-perturbative superpotential is generated. Using F-theory, these results carry over to certain Type IIB and heterotic string compactifications to four dimensions with N = 1 supersymmetry. In the heterotic string case, the non-perturbative superpotential can be interpreted as coming from space-time and world-sheet instantons; in many simple cases contributions come only from finitely many values of the instanton numbers.

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Non-perturbative superpotentials in string theory

Abstract

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