Related papers: M-history without the M

This thesis is a study of two dimensional noncritical string theory. The main tool which is used, is the matrix model. Introductions to both the Liouville model and its matrix model formulation are included. In particular the special states…

Nonrelativistic open string theory is defined by a worldsheet theory that produces a Galilean invariant string spectrum and is described at low energies by a nonrelativistic Yang-Mills theory. We study T-duality transformations in the path…

An overview of some of the developments in string theory over the past two years is given, focusing on four topics: realistic (standard model like) models from string theory, geometric engineering and theories with fluxes, the gauge…

We show that a set of parallel 3-brane probes near a conifold singularity can be mapped onto a configuration of intersecting branes in type IIA string theory. The field theory on the probes can be explicitly derived from this formulation.…

This article provides some historical background and then reviews developments in string theory over the last twenty-five years or so. Both perturbative and non-perturbative approaches to string theory are surveyed and their impact on how…

This contribution gives in sigma-model language a short review of recent work on T-duality for open strings in the presence of abelian or non-abelian gauge fields. Furthermore, it adds a critical discussion of the relation between RG…

String diagrams are a powerful and intuitive graphical syntax, originated in the study of symmetric monoidal categories. In the last few years, they have found application in the modelling of various computational structures, in fields as…

This thesis consists of two parts. The first part deals with gauge/gravity duality in the context of anti de Sitter (AdS) spacetimes with de Sitter (dS) boundary, which can be used to study issues concerning strongly coupled field theory on…

We show how a recently proposed large $N$ duality in the context of type IIA strings with ${\cal N}=1$ supersymmetry in 4 dimensions can be derived from purely geometric considerations by embedding type IIA strings in M-theory. The phase…

This Resource Letter provides a guide to some of the the introductory and review literature in string theory. It is in no way complete, though it is intended to be of use to students at several levels. Owing to the nature of the subject,…

This article surveys some of the highlights in the development of string theory through the first superstring revolution in 1984. The emphasis is on topics in which the author was involved, especially the observation that critical string…

We study both the direct and the double dimensional reduction of space-like branes of M-theory and point out some peculiarities in the process unlike their time-like counterpart. In particular, we show how starting from SM2 and SM5-brane…

This dissertation consists of a comprehensive and pedagogical review of Maldacena's original derivation of the AdS/CFT correspondence and the main topics of string theory necessary to understand it. The large $N$ expansion of Yang-Mills…

By analyzing super-torsion and brane super-cocycles, we derive a new duality in M-theory, which takes the form of a higher version of T-duality in string theory. This involves a new topology change mechanism abelianizing the 3-sphere…

This contribution, aimed mostly at experimental particle physicists, reviews some of the main ideas and results of String Theory in a non-technical language. It originates from the talks presented by the authors at the Electro-Weak session…

A systematic formulation of the higher genus expansion in topological string theory is considered. We also develop a simple way of evaluating genus zero correlation functions. At higher genera we derive some interesting formulas for the…

In the doubled field theory approach to string theory, the T-duality group is promoted to a manifest symmetry at the expense of replacing ordinary Riemannian geometry with generalised geometry on a doubled space. The local symmetries are…

We study the off-diagonal blocks in the M(atrix) model that are supposed to correspond to open strings stretched between a Dp-brane and a Dp'-brane. It is shown that the spectrum, including the quantum numbers, of the zero modes in the…

The two-dimensional model which emerges from low-energy considerations of string theory is written down. Solutions of this classical model are noted, including some examples which have nontrivial tachyon field. One such represents the…

Is string theory relevant to the black hole information problem? This is an attempt to clarify some of the issues involved. Presented at Strings '95.