String compactifications and N=2 superconformal coset constructions

Abstract

Abstract We consider the class of string compactifications obtained through the tensoring of the N =2 superconformal theories recently constructed by Kazama and Suzuki. A classification of all c =9 and c =6 models obtained from N =2 theories based on hermitian symmetric spaces is given. The number of E 6 generations and antigenerations for c =9 models based on SU( m +1)/SU( m )×U(1) is also provided. A number of these models correspond to deformations of others previously obtained from tensoring of minimal N =2 theories as can be deduced from the corresponding Landau-Ginzburg superpotential. Many others are genuine new compactifications. It is also shown how more general modular invariant projections lead to new models both in the minimal and Kazama-Suzuki constructions. As an example, we obtain the standard Z 3 -orbifold as a particular projection of the ( k =1) 9 Gepner model.