Heterotic de Sitter Beyond Modular Symmetry

Abstract

We study the vacua of $4d$ heterotic toroidal orbifolds using effective theories consisting of an overall K\"{a}hler modulus, the dilaton, and non-perturbative corrections to both the superpotential and K\"{a}hler potential that respect modular invariance. We prove three de Sitter no-go theorems for several classes of vacua and thereby substantiate and extend previous conjectures. Additionally, we provide evidence that extrema of the scalar potential can occur inside the PSL$(2,\mathbb{Z})$ fundamental domain of the K\"{a}hler modulus, in contradiction of a separate conjecture. We also illustrate a loophole in the no-go theorems and determine criteria that allow for metastable de Sitter vacua. Finally, we identify inherently stringy non-perturbative effects in the dilaton sector that could exploit this loophole and potentially realize de Sitter vacua