Introduction To String Theory And D-brane Dynamics, An: With Problems And Solutions (2nd Edition) / Edition 2

by Richard J Szabo

Overview

This invaluable book provides a quick introduction to the rudiments of perturbative string theory and a detailed introduction to the more current topic of D-brane dynamics. The presentation is very pedagogical, with much of the technical detail streamlined. The rapid but highly coherent introduction to the subject is perhaps what distinguishes this book from other string theory or D-brane books. This second edition includes an additional appendix with solutions to the exercises, thus expanding on some of the technical material and making the book more appealing for use in lecture courses. The material is based on mini-courses in theoretical high energy physics delivered by the author at various summer schools, so its actual level has been appropriately tested.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781848166226
Publisher:	Imperial College Press
Publication date:	01/07/2011
Edition description:	2nd Revised ed.
Pages:	164
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)

Table of Contents

Preface to Second Edition vii

Preface to First Edition ix

Chapter 1 A Brief History of String Theory 1

Chapter 2 Classical String Theory 9

2.1 The Relativistic Particle 9

2.1.1 Reparametrization Invariance 10

2.1.2 Examples 11

2.2 The Bosonic String 12

2.2.1 Worldsheet Symmetries 15

2.3 String Equations of Motion 16

2.3.1 Mode Expansions 18

2.3.2 Mass-Shell Constraints 20

Chapter 3 Quantization of the Bosonic String 21

3.1 Canonical Quantization 21

3.1.1 Normal Ordering 23

3.2 The Physical String Spectrum 25

3.2.1 The Open String Spectrum 25

3.2.2 The Closed String Spectrum 28

3.2.3 Worldsheet-Spacetime Interplay 31

3.3 Vertex Operators 31

3.3.1 Examples 33

3.4 String Perturbation Theory 34

3.5 Chan-Paton Factors 36

Chapter 4 Superstrings 39

4.1 Motivation 39

4.2 The RNS Superstring 40

4.2.1 Mode Expansions 42

4.3 The Superstring Spectrum 44

4.3.1 The Open Superstring Spectrum 46

4.3.2 The Closed Superstring Spectrum 47

4.4 The GSO Projection 48

4.4.1 Spacetime Supersymmetry 49

4.5 Example: One-Loop Vacuum Amplitude 50

4.5.1 Fermionic Spin Structures 54

Chapter 5 Ramond-Ramond Charges and T-Duality 59

5.1 Ramond-Ramond Charges 59

5.1.1 Remarks on Superstring Types 60

5.1.2 Type II Ramond-Ramond States 61

5.1.3 Ramond-Ramond Charges 64

5.2 T-Duality for Closed Strings 65

5.2.1 String Geometry 69

5.3 T-Duality for Open Strings 69

5.4 T-Duality for Type II Superstrings 72

Chapter 6 D-Branes and Gauge Theory 75

6.1 D-Branes 75

6.2 Wilson Lines 78

6.2.1 D-Brane Terminology 81

6.3 Collective Coordinates for D-Branes 81

6.3.1 Non-Abelian Gauge Symmetry 83

6.4 The Born-Infeld Action 84

Chapter 7 D-Brane Dynamics 91

7.1 The Dirac-Born-Infeld Action 91

7.1.1 Example 94

7.1.2 Supergravity Couplings 96

7.2 Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory 98

7.2.1 Example 102

7.3 Forces Between D-Branes 103

7.3.1 BPS States 106

Chapter 8 Ramond-Ramond Couplings of D-Branes 109

8.1 D-Brane Anomalies 109

8.2 Chern-Simons Actions 113

8.3 Branes within Branes 116

Chapter 9 Solutions to Exercises 119

Bibliography 141

Index 145