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Abstract:
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Realistic four -dimensional model building from string theory has been a focus of the string theory community ever since its inception . Toroidal orientifold constructions have emerged as a technically simple class of candidate models . Novel ingredients , such as background fluxes , have been discovered and intensely studied over the past few years . They allow for a (partial ) solution of several long standing problems associated with model building in this framework . In this thesis , I summarize progress
that has been made in toroidal orientifold constructions in type IIA string theory .This includes a detailed discussion of moduli stabilization and (non - ) supersymmetric AdS and Minkowski vacua . Furthermore I commence a systematic study of generalized NSNS , i .e . , metric and non -geometric , fluxes . The emergence of novel D -terms is presented in detail . While most of the discussion applies to generic orientifolds of T⁶ , most features are exemplified by and studied in terms of a certain orientifold of T⁶ /ℤ₄ owing to its somewhat richer structure compared to simpler models studied before . It is also briefly reported on efforts of finding de Sitter vacua and inflation in this class of models . |