PHY 622 & 623 String Theory I & II

Fall 2008 (P128) - Spring 2009 (P123), MWF 12:50-1:45

L. Rastelli, M. Roček, W. Siegel, P. van Nieuwenhuizen

office consultation available on request

http://insti.physics.sunysb.edu/~siegel/680.html

This is a two-semester course. The course is thought by all of us; we sit in each other's lectures, and encourage discussions with students.

String theory is a vast subject, so it is not possible to cover all areas. We give simple introductions to the main areas; the lectures are self-contained, and typed notes will be handed out. We do not use phrases like "It can be shown that...", but rather do all derivations and calculations explicitly.

Prerequisites

  1. quantum field theory of Yang-Mills fields
  2. general relativity

Grading

Grading is S/U, determined completely by the final exam, which is part written & part oral.

First semester

  1. Free bosonic strings: What are strings? Action, quantization, spectrum, BRST charge, D = 26
  2. Why strings?
  3. Free spinning strings: rigid supersymmetry and supergravity in two dimensions, extensions of the results of the bosonic string
  4. Conformal and superconformal field theory
  5. Tree graphs in bosonic string theory
  6. Tree graphs in spinning string theory, picture changing
  7. Differential geometry and supersymmetric vacuua

Second semester

  1. Loop graphs in bosonic string theory
  2. Branes, dualities
  3. Superstrings: Types IIA & IIB
  4. Heterotic superstring: lattices, E(8)⊗E(8) & SO(32)
  5. Loop graphs in superstring theory, anomalies
  6. Anti-de Sitter/Conformal Field Theory correspondence

 

University-required statements
These statements are required in all University syllabi. (They are the same in all course syllabi, so just read it once. Apparently, the incorrect use of "impact" as a verb is also required.)