Related papers: String/Gauge Duality: (re)discovering the QCD Stri…
We consider N=2 moose/quiver gauge theories corresponding to N_1 D3-branes at a C^2/Z_{N_2} singularity in the ``large moose'' limit where N_1 and N_2 are scaled to infinity together. In the dual holographic description, this scaling gives…
The AdS/CFT correspondence provides a rich testing ground for many important topics in theoretical physics. The earliest and most striking example of the correspondence is the conjectured duality between the energy spectrum of type IIB…
We study some aspects of Maldacena's large $N$ correspondence between N=4 superconformal gauge theory on D3-brane and maximal supergravity on AdS_5xS_5 by introducing macroscopic strings as heavy (anti)-quark probes. The macroscopic strings…
Preliminary investigations of the topological phase of string theory along the lines of a (restricted) $\dot{w}_{\infty}$ non-linear sigma model are provided. Gauge fixing the w gravity gauge fields by preserving a geometric identity Lorenz…
String cosmology aims at providing a reliable description of the very early Universe in the regime where standard-model physics is no longer appropriate, and where we can safely apply the basic ingredients of superstring models such as…
We discuss duality between Type IIA string theory, eleven-dimensional supergravity, and heterotic string theory in four spacetime dimensions with $N=1$ supersymmetry. We find theories whose infrared limit is trivial at enhanced symmetry…
The spatial string tension of a SU(N) gauge theory without quarks is calculated using gauge/string duality for 1.2T_c<T<3T_c. The result is remarkably consistent with the available lattice data for N=2,3. Some evidence is found that to…
As of today there exist consistent, gauge-invariant string field theories describing all string theories: bosonic open and closed strings, open superstrings, heterotic strings and type II strings. The construction of these theories require…
In these lectures I discuss the possibility that superstrings of cosmic length might exist and be observable. I first review the original idea of cosmic strings arising as gauge theory solitons, and discuss in particular their network…
We study and extend the duality web unifying different decoupling limits of type II superstring theories and M-theory. We systematically build connections to different corners, such as Matrix theories, nonrelativistic string and M-theory,…
The Ward identities of the $W_{\infty}$ symmetry in 2D string theory in the tachyon background are studied in the continuum approach. Comparing the solutions with the matrix model results, it is verified that 2D string amplitudes are…
These lecture notes present an elementary introduction to light-cone string field theory, with an emphasis on its application to the study of string interactions in the plane wave limit of AdS/CFT. We summarize recent results and conclude…
A string background, which is in some precise sense {\em universal} (i.e., incorporating all orders in the Feynman diagram expansion), is proposed to represent pure gauge theories. S-duality at the level of the string metric is considered…
An attempt to study recently observed Pentaquark baryons is performed in the dual string theory of QCD. Mass formulae for Pentaquark baryons are naively estimated in the Maldacena's prototype model for supersymmetric QCD and a more…
We examine recent claims of a large set of flux compactification solutions of string theory. We conclude that the arguments for AdS solutions are plausible. The analysis of meta-stable dS solutions inevitably leads to situations where long…
String theory, if it describes nature, is probably strongly coupled. In light of recent developments in string duality, this means that the ``real world'' should correspond to a region of the classical moduli space which admits no weak…
We discuss some recent phenomenological models for strong interactions based on the idea of gauge/string duality. A very good estimate for hadronic masses can be found by placing an infrared cut off in AdS space. Considering static strings…
Postulate of SL(2,\Z) invariance of toroidally compactified heterotic string theory in four dimensions implies the existence of new string (dual string) states carrying both, electric and magnetic charges. In this paper we study the…
With our current level of understanding, the problem of making string theory predictions is not one of "solving" the theory, but rather of trying to determine whether there are any generic expectations. Within this context, we discuss what…
The causal boundary of string propagation -- defined as the hypersurface in loop space bordering the timelike(spacelike) domains in which two successive measurements of the string field do(do not) interfere with one another -- is argued to…