Related papers: On tadpoles and vacuum redefinitions in String The…
We discuss the role played by the divergences appearing in the interaction between a fractional D3 brane dressed with an SU(N) gauge field and a stack of N fractional D3 branes on the orbifolds C^2/Z_2 and C^3/(Z_2 x Z_2). In particular we…
We consider perturbative Type II superstring theory in the covariant NSR formalism in the presence of NSNS and RR backgrounds. A concrete example that we have in mind is the geometry of D3-branes which in the near-horizon region is AdS_5 x…
We discuss the obstacles for defining a set of observable quantities analogous to an S-matrix which are needed to formulate string theory in an accelerating universe. We show that the quintessence models with the equations of state $-1 < w…
The heterotic--string models in the free fermionic formulation gave rise to some of the most realistic string models to date, which possess N=1 spacetime supersymmetry. Lack of evidence for supersymmetry at the LHC instigated recent…
Using the embedding tensor formalism we give the general conditions for the existence of N=1 vacua in spontaneously broken N=2 supergravities. Our results confirm the necessity of having both electrically and magnetically charged multiplets…
We compute a class of gauge invariant observables for marginal solutions and the tachyon vacuum. In each case we find that the observables are related in a simple way to the closed-string tadpole on a disk with appropriate boundary…
This is a brief review of vacuum string field theory, a new approach to open string field theory based on the stable vacuum of the tachyon. We discuss the sliver state explaining its role as a projector in the space of half-string…
We study a set of asymmetric deformations of non-critical superstring theories in various dimensions. The deformations arise as Kaehler and complex structure deformations of an orthogonal two-torus comprising of a parallel and a transverse…
After a short introduction to Matrix theory, we explain how can one generalize matrix models to describe toroidal compactifications of M-theory and the heterotic vacua with 16 supercharges. This allows us, for the first time in history, to…
Symmetry transformations of the space-time fields of string theory are generated by certain similarity transformations of the stress-tensor of the associated conformal field theories. This observation is complicated by the fact that, as we…
Superstring theories are very promising theoretically, but the enormous landscape of string vacua and the (likely) very large underlying string scale imply that they may never be tested directly. Nevertheless, concrete constructions…
We show that the one loop amplitudes of open and closed string theory in a constant background two-form tensor field are characterized by an effective string tension larger than the fundamental string tension, and by the appearance of…
In this talk, I discuss our recent work concerning the construction of non-supersymmetric heterotic string models which have exponentially suppressed dilaton tadpoles and cosmological constants, and thus greatly enhanced stability…
In this talk, we present three examples of new non-trivial vacuum structures that can occur in supersymmetric field theories, along with explicit models in which they arise. The first vacuum structure is one in which supersymmetry is broken…
String theory avoids the ultraviolet infinities that arise in trying to quantize gravity. It is also more predictive than conventional quantum field theory, one aspect of this being the way that it contributed to the emergence of the…
These lectures intend to give a pedagogical introduction into some of the developments in string theory during the last years. They include perturbative T-duality and non perturbative S- and U-dualities, their unavoidable demand for…
We consider the $U(1) ^{n}$ extension of the effective $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric $U(1) \times U(1) $ model of $arXiv:1204.2141$; and study the explicit relationship between partial breaking of $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetry constraint…
We consider N=1 supersymmetric U(N), SO(N), and Sp(N) gauge theories, with two-index tensor matter and added tree-level superpotential, for general breaking patterns of the gauge group. By considering the string theory realization and…
In six dimensions, cancellation of gauge, gravitational, and mixed anomalies strongly constrains the set of quantum field theories which can be coupled consistently to gravity. We show that for some classes of six-dimensional supersymmetric…
We connect the indications of 2D CFT for branes in non-supersymmetric strings to actual spacetime profiles, taking the bulk tadpole potentials into account. We find exact solutions for the uncharged branes that spread in the internal…