Superconformal compactifications in weighted projective space (Q753176)

The construction of four dimensional superstring theories requires a compactification of additional six dimensions on a complex compact threefold with vanishing Ricci tensor, the Calabi-Yau sigma models are needed. In 1987 it was shown by Gepner that the complicated field theory of these models can be described by some simple conformal theories. In the present paper a new construction of string vacua is presented. It is shown that the pleasing properties of (2,2) world sheet supersymmetric theories persist in the more general (2,0) supersymmetric vacua. Geometrically, they correspond to a new construction of Calabi-Yau manifolds in weighted projective space. The construction has the simplicity of complete intersections in ordinary projective space but also incorporates the singularities inherent to the toroidal orbifolds. In this way, some aspects of string vacua are constructed from orbifolded non-minimal Landau-Ginzburg theories which correspond to Calabi-Yau manifolds in weighted projective space. Most of stable (2,0) Calabi-Yau vacua are not simply deformations of an underlying (2,2) theory. This indicates that this phenomenologically promising sector of classical vacua is quite stable.