A Primer on String Theory

by Volker Schomerus

Overview

Since its conception in the 1960s, string theory has been hailed as one of the most promising routes we have to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity. This book provides a concise introduction to string theory explaining central concepts, mathematical tools and covering recent developments in physics including compactifications and gauge/string dualities. With string theory being a multidisciplinary field interfacing with high energy physics, mathematics and quantum field theory, this book is ideal for both students with no previous knowledge of the field and scholars from other disciplines who are looking for an introduction to basic concepts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781316612835
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	06/26/2017
Pages:	234
Product dimensions:	6.85(w) x 9.72(h) x 0.43(d)

About the Author

Volker Schomerus holds a joint position as a Senior Researcher in the DESY Theory Group, and a Professor of Mathematical Physics at Universität Hamburg. His work focuses on string theory at the interface to high energy physics, mathematics and statistical physics, for which he has received several distinctions, including the Guy-Lussac–Humboldt award in 2010. He is also co-author of the monograph Boundary Conformal Field Theory and the World-Sheet Approach to D-Branes (Cambridge, 2013).

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Historical introduction and overview; Part I. Strings in Flat Backgrounds: 2. The classical closed bosonic string; 3. Free bosonic quantum field theory; 4. Covariant quantization; 5. Light-cone quantization; 6. Branes and quantization of open strings; 7. Open strings and gauge theory; 8. Free fermionic quantum field theory; 9. Supersymmetry in ten dimensions; 10. Construction of type IIA/B superstrings; 11. Branes in type II superstring theory; 12. Construction of heterotic superstrings; Part II. Strings in Curved Backgrounds: 13. Introduction to conformal field theory; 14. Modular invariants and orbifolds; 15. Closed strings on the 3-sphere; 16. Calabi-Yau spaces; 17. Calabi–Yau compactifications; 18. String dualities; 19. Gauge/string dualities; 20. AdS/CFT correspondence; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

Advance praise: 'This book successfully captures the essence of string theory every theoretical physicist should know. I would like to use it in my next course on string theory at Caltech!' Hirosi Ooguri, California Institute of Technology

Advance praise: 'Systematic introduction to string theory that brings the reader to the forefront of modern developments in the field, written from entirely modern perspective. The book covers amazingly large amount of topics with due attention to detail and logical rigour. Perfect book for first reading in string theory that can be used as reference by its practitioners.' Konstantin Zarembo, Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics

From the Publisher