Heterotic moduli stabilization with fractional Chern-Simons invariants

Abstract

We show that fractional flux from Wilson lines can stabilize the moduli of heterotic string compactifications on Calabi-Yau threefolds. We observe that the Wilson lines used in GUT symmetry breaking naturally induce a fractional flux. When combined with a hidden-sector gaugino condensate, this generates a potential for the complex structure moduli, Kähler moduli, and dilaton. This potential has a supersymmetric AdS minimum at moderately weak coupling and large volume. Notably, the necessary ingredients for this construction are often present in realistic models. We explore the type IIA dual phenomenon, which involves Wilson lines in D6-branes wrapping a three-cycle in a Calabi-Yau threefold, and comment on the nature of the fractional instantons that change the Chern-Simons invariant.