String Theory: Volume 2, Superstring Theory and Beyond

This 1998 book is a comprehensive account of supersymmetric strings; for graduate students and researchers.

Joseph Polchinski (Author)

9780521672283, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 2 June 2005

552 pages, 15 b/w illus. 12 tables 93 exercises
24.6 x 16.8 x 3 cm, 0.85 kg

'The present volume succeeds in giving a detailed yet comprehensive account of our current knowledge of superstring dynamics. The topics covered range from the basic construction of the theories to the most recent discoveries on their non-perturbative behaviour. The discussion is remarkably self-contained (the volume even contains a useful appendix on spinors and supersymmetry in several dimensions), and thus may serve as an introduction to the subject, and as an excellent reference for researchers in the field.' Mathematical Reviews

String Theory, first published in 1998, comprises two volumes which provide a comprehensive and pedagogic account of the subject. Volume 2 begins with an introduction to supersymmetric string theories and presents the important advances of recent years. The first three chapters introduce the type I, type II, and heterototic superstring theories and their interactions. The next two chapters present important recent discoveries about strongly coupled strings, beginning with a detailed treatment of D-branes and their dynamics, and covering string duality, M-theory, and black hole entropy. The final chapters are concerned with four-dimensional string theories, showing how some of the simplest string models connect with previous ideas for unifying the Standard Model. They collect many important results on world-sheet and spacetime symmetries. An appendix summarizes the necessary background on fermions and supersymmetry. An essential text and reference for graduate students and researchers interested in superstring theory.

Foreword
Preface
Notation
10. Type I and type II superstrings
11. The heterotic string
12. Superstring interactions
13. D-branes
14. Strings at strong coupling
15. Advanced CFT
16. Orbifolds
17. Calabi-Yau compactification
18. Physics in four dimensions
19. Advanced topics
Appendix B. Spinors and SUSY in various dimensions
References
Glossary
Index.

Subject Areas: Quantum physics [quantum mechanics & quantum field theory PHQ], Physics [PH]