Model building with $F$-theory

Abstract

Despite much recent progress in model building with D-branes, it has been problematic to find a completely convincing explanation of gauge coupling unification. We extend the class of models by considering F -theory compactifications, which may incorporate unification more naturally. We explain how to derive the charged chiral spectrum and Yukawa couplings in N = 1 compactifications of F -theory with G-flux. In a class of models which admit perturbative heterotic duals, we show that the F -theory and heterotic computations match.