A three-family standard-like orientifold model: Yukawa couplings and hierarchy Original Research Article

We discuss the hierarchy of Yukawa couplings in a supersymmetric three family standard-like string model. The model is constructed by compactifying type IIA string theory on a Z2×Z2 orientifold in which the standard model matter fields arise from intersecting D6-branes. When lifted to M-theory, the model amounts to compactification of M-theory on a G2 manifold. While the actual fermion masses depend on the vacuum expectation values of the multiple Higgs fields in the model, we calculate the leading worldsheet instanton contributions to the Yukawa couplings and examine the implications of the Yukawa hierarchy.