Boundary State Formalism Research Articles

ADHM is tachyon condensation

We completely realize the ADHM construction of instantons in D-brane language of tachyon condensations. Every step of the construction is given a physical interpretation in string theory, in a boundary state formalism valid all order in \alpha'. Accordingly, equivalence between Yang-Mills configurations on D4-branes and D0-branes inside the D4-branes is proven, which shows that small instanton configurations of the Yang-Mills fields are protected against stringy \alpha' corrections. We provide also D-brane realizations of the inverse ADHM construction, the completeness, and the noncommutative ADHM construction.

Non-perturbative contributions to the plane-wave string mass matrix

D-instanton contributions to the mass matrix of arbitrary excited string states of type IIB string theory in the maximally supersymmetric plane-wave background are calculated to leading order in the string coupling using a supersymmetric light-cone boundary state formalism. The explicit non-perturbative dependence of the mass matrix on the complex string coupling, the plane-wave mass parameter and the mode numbers of the excited states is determined.

D-branes in Topological Minimal Models: the Landau–Ginzburg Approach

We study D-branes in topologically twisted N=2 minimal models using the Landau-Ginzburg realization. In the cases of A and D-type minimal models we provide what we believe is an exhaustive list of topological branes and compute the corresponding boundary OPE algebras as well as all disk correlators. We also construct examples of topological branes in E-type minimal models. We compare our results with the boundary state formalism, where possible, and find agreement.

The boundary state formalism and conformal invariance in off-shell string theory

We present a generalization of the boundary state formalism for the bosonic string that allows us to calculate the overlap of the boundary state with arbitrary closed string states. We show that this generalization exactly reproduces world-sheet sigma model calculations, thus giving the correct overlap with both on- and off-shell string states, and that this new boundary state automatically satisfies the requirement for integrated vertex operators in the case of non-conformally invariant boundary interactions.

The D-instanton and other supersymmetric D-branes in IIB plane-wave string theory

A class of D-branes for the type IIB plane-wave background is considered that preserve half the dynamical supersymmetries of the light-cone gauge. The D-branes of this type are the Euclidean (or instantonic) (0,0), (0,4), and (4,0) branes (where ( r, s) denotes a brane oriented with r axes in the first four directions transverse to the +, − light-cone, and s axes in the second four directions). Corresponding Lorentzian D-branes are (+,−;0,0), (+,−;0,4), and (+,−;4,0). These are constructed in two ways. The first uses a boundary state formalism which implements appropriate fermionic gluing conditions and the second is based on a direct quantization of the open strings ending on the branes. In distinction to the D-branes considered earlier these have massless world-volume fermions but do not possess kinematical supersymmetries. Cylinder diagrams describing the overlap between a pair of boundary states displaced by some distance are evaluated. The open-string description of this system involves mode frequencies that are, in general, given by irrational solutions to transcendental equations. The closed-string and open-string descriptions are shown to be equivalent by a nontrivial implementation of the S modular transformation. A classical description of the D-instanton (the (0,0) case) in light-cone gauge is also given.

Derivative corrections from boundary state computations

The boundary state formalism is used to confirm predictions from non-commutativity for the derivative corrections to the Dirac–Born–Infeld and Chern–Simons actions, at all orders in derivatives. As anticipated by S. Mukhi, the method applies by induction to every coupling in the Chern–Simons action. It is also used to derive the corrections to the Dirac–Born–Infeld action at quadratic order in the field strength.

N=1 Matter from Fractional Branes

We study a bound state of fractional D3-branes localized inside the world-volume of fractional D7-branes on the orbifold C^3/Z_2 x Z_2. We determine the open string spectrum that leads to N=1 U(N1)xU(N2)xU(N3)xU(N4) gauge theory with matter having the number of D7-branes as a flavor index. We derive the linearized boundary action of the D7-brane on this orbifold using the boundary state formalism and we discuss the tadpole cancellation. After computing the asymptotic expression of the supergravity solution the anomalies of the gauge theory are reproduced.

The enhançon mechanism for fractional branes

We study the enhançon mechanism for fractional D-branes in conifold and orbifold backgrounds and show how it can resolve the repulson singularity of these geometries. In particular, we show that the consistency of the excision process requires that the interior space be not empty. In the orbifold case, we exploit the boundary state formalism to obtain an explicit conformal description and emphasize the non-trivial role of the volume of the internal manifold.

Formula omitted] = 2 gauge theories on systems of fractional D3/D7-branes

We study a bound state of fractional D3/D7-branes in the ten-dimensional space R 1,5× R 4/ Z 2 using the boundary state formalism. We construct the boundary actions for this system and show that higher-order terms in the twisted fields are needed in order to satisfy the zero-force condition. We then find the classical background associated to the bound state and show that the gauge theory living on a probe fractional D3-brane correctly reproduces the perturbative behavior of a four-dimensional N=2 supersymmetric gauge theory with fundamental matter.

Open string decoupling and tachyon condensation

The amplitudes in perturbative open string theory are examined as functions of the tachyon condensate parameter. The boundary state formalism demonstrates the decoupling of the open string modes at the non-perturbative minima of the tachyon potential via a degeneration of open world-sheets and identifies an independence of the coupling constants $g_s$ and $g_{YM}$ at general values of the tachyon condensate. The closed sector is generated at the quantum level; it is also generated at the classical level through the condensation of the propagating open string modes on the D-brane degrees of freedom.

On the structure of open–closed topological field theory in two dimensions

I discuss the general formalism of two-dimensional topological field theories defined on open-closed oriented Riemann surfaces, starting from an extension of Segal's geometric axioms. Exploiting the topological sewing constraints allows for the identification of the algebraic structure governing such systems. I give a careful treatment of bulk-boundary and boundary-bulk correspondences, which are responsible for the relation between the closed and open sectors. The fact that these correspondences need not be injective nor surjective has interesting implications for the problem of classifying `boundary conditions'. In particular, I give a clear geometric derivation of the (topological) boundary state formalism and point out some of its limitations. Finally, I formulate the problem of classifying (on-shell) boundary extensions of a given closed topological field theory in purely algebraic terms and discuss their reducibility.

General target space duality and its effects on D-branes

We study a special combination of the compact directions of the spacetime (compactified on tori) and the worldsheet parity transformed of these directions. The transformations that change the compact part of the spacetime to this combination, are more general than the T-duality transformations. Many properties of this combination and also of the corresponding worldsheet fermions are studied. By using the boundary state formalism, we study the effects of the above transformations to D-branes. For the special cases the resulted branes reduce to the known mixed branes, or reduce to the modified mixed branes.

Boundary string field theory, the boundary state formalism and D-brane tension

Recently a boundary string field theory that had been proposed some time ago, was used to calculate correctly the ratios of D-brane (both BPS and non-BPS) tensions. We discuss how this work is related to the boundary state formalism and open string closed string duality, and argue that the latter clarifies why the correct tension ratios are obtained in these recent calculations.

Discrete torsion orbifolds and D-branes

D-branes on orbifolds with and without discrete torsion are analysed in a unified way using the boundary state formalism. For the example of the Z2 x Z2 orbifold it is found that both the theory with and without discrete torsion possess D-branes whose world-volume carries conventional and projective representations of the orbifold group. The resulting D-brane spectrum is shown to be consistent with T-duality.

Fractional branes and boundary states in orbifold theories

We study the D-brane spectrum of N=2 string orbifold theories using the boundary state formalism. The construction is carried out for orbifolds with isolated singularities, non-isolated singularities and orbifolds with discrete torsion. Our results agree with the corresponding K-theoretic predictions when they are available and generalize them when they are not. This suggests that the classification of boundary states provides a sort of "quantum K-theory" just as chiral rings in CFT provide "quantum" generalizations of cohomology. We discuss the identification of these states with D-branes wrapping holomorphic cycles in the large radius limit of the CFT moduli space. The example C^3/Z_3 is worked out in full detail using local mirror symmetry techniques. We find a precise correspondence between fractional branes at the orbifold point and configurations of D-branes described by vector bundles on the exceptional P^2 cycle.

Gauge and gravitational interactions of non-BPS D-particles

We study the gauge and gravitational interactions of the stable non-BPS D-particles of the type I string theory. The gravitational interactions are obtained using the boundary state formalism while the SO(32) gauge interactions are determined by evaluating disk diagrams with suitable insertions of boundary changing (or twist) operators. In particular the gauge coupling of a D-particle is obtained from a disk with two boundary components produced by the insertion of two twist operators. We also compare our results with the amplitudes among the non-BPS states of the heterotic string which are dual to the D-particles. After taking into account the known duality and renormalization effects, we find perfect agreement, thus confirming at a non-BPS level the expectations based on the heterotic/type I duality.

MOVING MIXED BRANES IN COMPACT SPACE–TIME

In this letter we present a general description of two moving branes in the presence of the field Bμν and gauge fields [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] on them, in space–time that some of its directions are compact on tori. Some examples are considered to elucidate this general description. Also the contribution of the massless states to the interaction is extracted. Boundary state formalism is a useful tool for these considerations.

T-duality and mixed branes

In this article the action of T-duality on a mixed brane is studied in the boundary state formalism. We also obtain a two dimensional mixed brane with non-zero electric and magnetic fields, from a D 1-brane.

String theory and noncommutative field theories at one loop

By exploiting the boundary state formalism we obtain the string correlator between two internal points on the one loop open string world-sheet in the presence of a constant background $B$-field. From this derivation it is clear that there is an ambiguity when one tries to restrict the Green function to the boundary of the surface. We fix this ambiguity by showing that there is a {\em unique} form for the correlator between two points on the boundary which reproduces the one loop field theory results of different noncommutative field theories. In particular, we present the derivation of one loop diagrams for $\phi^3_6$ and $\phi^4_4$ scalar interactions and for Yang--Mills theory. From the 2-point function we are able to derive the one loop $\beta$-function for noncommutative gauge theory.

D-branes in AdS3 × S3 × S3 × S1

We analyse the possible D-brane configurations in an AdS_3xS^3xS^3xS^1 background with a NS-NS B field, by using the boundary state formalism. We study their geometry and we determine the fraction of spacetime supersymmetry preserved by these solutions.