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This content will become publicly available on August 1, 2026

Title: Scale separation from O-planes
A<sc>bstract</sc> Orientifold planes play a crucial role in flux compactifications of string theory, and we demonstrate their deep connection to achieving scale-separated solutions. Specifically, we show that when an orientifold plane contributes at leading order to the non-zero value of the scalar potential, then either the weak coupling limit or the large volume limit implies scale separation, meaning that the Kaluza-Klein tower mass decouples from the inverse length scale of the lower-dimensional theory. Notably, in the supergravity limit such solutions are inherently scale-separated. This result is independent of the spacetime dimension and the dimensionality of the Op-plane as long asp <7. Similarly, we show, extending previous results, that parametric scale separation is not possible for isotropic compactifications with a leading curvature term that generically arise in the AdS/CFT context. We classify all possible flux compactification setups in both type IIA and type IIB string theory for Op-planes with 2 ≤p≤ 6 and present their universal features. While the parametrically controlled scale-separated solutions are all AdS, we also find setups that allow for dS vacua. We prove that flux quantization prevents these dS vacua in isotropic compactifications from arising in a regime of parametric control.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2210271
PAR ID:
10650663
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
Springer
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Journal of High Energy Physics
Volume:
2025
Issue:
8
ISSN:
1029-8479
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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