Lattice formulation of the superstring.

Abstract

The formulation of closed superstring theory on a discrete world sheet is studied. We work throughout in the light-cone gauge, and attempt to preserve exact discrete global sypersymmetry. It is shown that difficulties arise in the attempt to preserve both supersymmetries in the type-II closed superstring, but that truncation of one-half of the bosonic degrees of freedom leads to an exactly supersymmetric action which is just a lattice implementation of the heterotic string. The continuous-time (Hamiltonian) formalism is also studied for this case.