Non-geometric Backgrounds Based on Topological Interfaces

Abstract

We study simple models of the world-sheet CFTs describing non-geometric backgrounds based on the topological interfaces, the `gluing condition' of which imposes T-duality- or analogous twists. To be more specific, we start with the torus partition function on a target space S^1 [base] x (S^1 x S^1) [fiber] with rather general values of radii. The fiber CFT is defined by inserting the twist operators consisting of the topological interfaces which lie along the cycles of the world-sheet torus according to the winding numbers of the base circle. We construct the partition functions involving such duality twists. The modular invariance is achieved straightforwardly, whereas `unitarization' is generically necessary to maintain the unitarity. We demonstrate it in the case of the equal fiber radii. The resultant models are closely related to the CFTs with the discrete torsion. The unitarization is also physically interpreted as multiple insertions of the twist/interface operators along various directions.