Related papers: Tensor Constructions of Open String Theories I: Fo…
We revisit the existence, background independence and uniqueness of closed, open and open-closed bosonic- and topological string field theory, using the machinery of homotopy algebra. In a theory of classical open- and closed strings, the…
We prove the decomposition theorem for the loop homotopy algebra of quantum closed string field theory and use it to show that closed string field theory is unique up to gauge transformations on a given string background and given S-matrix.…
There is an interpretation of open string field theory in algebraic topology. An interpretation of closed string field theory can be deduced from this open string theory to obtain as well the interpretation of open and closed string field…
Open-string theories may be related to suitable models of oriented closed strings. The resulting construction of ``open descendants'' is illustrated in a few simple cases that exhibit some of its key features.
We discuss general properties of $A_\infty$-algebras and their applications to the theory of open strings. The properties of cyclicity for $A_\infty$-algebras are examined in detail. We prove the decomposition theorem, which is a stronger…
String theory on D-brane backgrounds is open-closed string theory. Given the relevance of this fact, we give details and elaborate upon our earlier construction of oriented open-closed string field theory. In order to incorporate explicitly…
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…
We establish a translation dictionary between open and closed strings, starting from open string field theory. Under this correspondence, (off-shell) level-matched closed string states are represented by star algebra projectors in open…
A careful treatment of closed string BRST cohomology shows that there are more discrete states and associated symmetries in $D=2$ string theory than has been recognized hitherto. The full structure, at the $SU(2)$ radius, has a natural…
String backgrounds are described as purely geometric objects related to moduli spaces of Riemann surfaces, in the spirit of Segal's definition of a conformal field theory. Relations with conformal field theory, topological field theory and…
Homotopy algebra and its involutive generalisation plays an important role in the construction of string field theory. I will review recent progress in these applications of homotopy algebra and its relation to moduli spaces.
We construct open-closed superstring interactions based on the open-closed homotopy algebra structure. It provides a classical open superstring field theory on general closed-superstring-field backgrounds described by classical solutions of…
This is an expanded and updated version of a talk given at the Conference on Topics in Geometry and Physics at the University of Southern California, November 6, 1992. It is a survey talk, aimed at mathematicians AND physicists, which…
We formulate a string field theory for open $\mathcal{N}=2$ strings with an $A_{\infty}$ algebra structure. Starting from the BRST cohomology relative to the U(1) anti-ghost zero-mode, we generalize [arXiv:1312.2948] and constructed all…
We define a homotopy algebra associated to classical open-closed strings. We call it an open-closed homotopy algebra (OCHA). It is inspired by Zwiebach's open-closed string field theory and also is related to the situation of Kontsevich's…
String theory has already motivated, suggested, and sometimes well-nigh proved a number of interesting and sometimes unexpected mathematical results, such as mirror symmetry. A careful examination of the behavior of string propagation on…
We study the coupling of the closed string to the open string in the topological B-model. These couplings can be viewed as gauge invariant observables in the open string field theory, or as deformations of the differential graded algebra…
A non-supersymmetric ten-dimensional open string theory is constructed as an orbifold of type I string theory, and as an orientifold of the bosonic type B theory. It is purely bosonic, and cancellation of massless tadpoles requires the…
We study properties of differential graded (dg) operads modulo weak equivalences, that is, modulo the relation given by the existence of a chain of dg operad maps inducing a homology isomorphism. This approach, naturally arising in string…
In these lecture notes we discuss a body of work in which Morse theory is used to construct various homology and cohomology operations. In the classical setting of algebraic topology this is done by constructing a moduli space of graph…