Stable non-supersymmetric vacua in the moduli space of non-critical superstrings

Abstract

We study a set of asymmetric deformations of non-critical superstring theories in various dimensions. The deformations arise as Kähler and complex structure deformations of an orthogonal two-torus comprising of a parallel and a transverse direction in the near-horizon geometry of NS5-branes. The resulting theories have the following intriguing features: Spacetime supersymmetry is broken in a continuous fashion and the masses of the lightest modes are lifted. In particular, no bulk or localized tachyons are generated in the non-supersymmetric vacua. We discuss the effects of these deformations in the context of the holographic duality between non-critical superstrings and little string theories and find solutions of rotating fivebranes in supergravity. We also comment on the generation of a one-loop cosmological constant and determine the effects of the one-loop backreaction to leading order.