Non-perturbative superpotentials in string theory

The non-perturbative superpotential can be effectively calculated in M-theory compactification to three dimensions on a Calabi-Yau four-fold X. For certain X, the superpotential is identically zero, while for other X, a non-perturbative superpotential is generated. Using F-theory, these results carry over to certain Type IIB and heterotic string compactifications to four dimensions with N = 1 supersymmetry. In the heterotic string case, the non-perturbative superpotential can be interpreted as coming from space-time and world-sheet instantons; in many simple cases contributions come only from finitely many values of the instanton numbers.     

Supersymmetric string theories,superconformal algebras and exceptional groups

We study the relation between extended space-time supersymmetry and extended worldsheet symmetries within the context of four-dimensional heterotic string theories. It is shown how these symmetries follow from an underlying E₇ and E₈ symmetry which also explains the appearance of extra U(1) gauge bosons. Supersymmetry transformation aalways act within a given multiplet of E₇ and E₈.     

Orbifold models and modular transformation

The orbifold models of the heterotic string are constructed on the quotient spaces of generalized tori by translational and rotational discrete symmetries. In order to obtain the consistent orbifold models, the conditions of the modular invariance are derived from a one-loop vacuum amplitude. Z₃ orbifold models satisfying such conditions are searched systematically. It is shown that there are infinite possible models with N = 2 supersymmetry. Among these models, two examples having E₆ and E₇ gauge groups are discussed. The orbifold models with N = 1 supersymmetry are also discussed in detail. It is shown that there are only five consistent models in the class of these models based on E₈ ⊗ E′₈ heterotic string in which the extra six-dimensional torus and the E₈ ⊗ E′₈ maximal torus are modded out by the rotational and the translational Z₃ symmetries respectively.     

Spectrum generating algebra and no-ghost theorem for fermionic massive string

The covariant operator quantization of the ordinary free spinning BDH string modified by adding the supersymmetric Liouville sector is analysed in the even target space dimensions d = 2, 4, 6, 8. The spectrum generating algebra for this model is constructed and a general version of the no-ghost theorem is proven. The counterpart of the GSO projection leads to a family of tachyon-free unitary free string theories. One of these models is equivalent to the non-critical Ramond-Neveu-Schwarz spinning string truncated in the Neveu-Schwarz sector to the tachyon-free eigenspace of the fermion parity operator.     

Roaming moduli space using dynamical triangulations

In critical as well as in non-critical string theory the partition function reduces to an integral over moduli space after integration over matter fields. For non-critical string theory this moduli integrand is known for genus one surfaces. The formalism of dynamical triangulations provides us with a regularization of non-critical string theory. We show how to assign in a simple and geometrical way a moduli parameter to each triangulation. After integrating over possible matter fields we can thus construct the moduli integrand. We show numerically for c=0 and c=−2 non-critical strings that the moduli integrand converges to the known continuum expression when the number of triangles goes to infinity.     

The topological matrix model of the c = 1 string

We derive a Kontsevich-type matrix model for the c = 1 string directly from the W_∞ solution of the theory. The model that we obtain is different from previous proposals, which are proven to be incorrect. Our matrix model contains the Penner and Kontsevich cases, and we study its quantum effective action. The simplicity of our model leads to an encouraging interpretation in the context of background-independent non-critical string field theory.     

Diagrammar and metamorphosis of coset symmetries in dimensionally reduced type IIB supergravity

Studying the reduction of type IIB supergravity from ten to three spacetime dimensions, we describe the metamorphosis of the Dynkin diagram for gravity line “caterpillar” into a type IIB supergravity “ dragonfly” that is triggered by the inclusion of scalars and antisymmetric tensor fields. The final diagram corresponds to type IIB string theory E₈ global symmetry group, which is the subgroup of the conjectured E₁₁ hidden symmetry group. Application of the results for getting the type IIA/IIB T-duality rules and for searching for type IIB vacua solutions is considered.     

Pion-distribution amplitude within the instanton model

The leading-twist pion-distribution amplitude is obtained at a low normalization scale of order ρ _c (inverse average size of an instanton). Pion dynamics, consistent with gauge invariance and low-energy theorems, is considered within the instanton vacuum model. The results are QCD-evolved to higher momentum-transfer values and are in agreement with recent data from CLEO on the pion transition form factor. It is also shown that some previous calculations violate the axial Ward-Takahashi identity.     

Supersymmetry breaking and soft terms in M-theory

We investigate gaugino condensation in the framework of the strongly coupled heterotic E₈×E₈ string (M-theory). Supersymmetry is broken in a hidden sector and gravitational interactions induce soft breaking parameters in the observable sector. The resulting soft masses are of order of the gravitino mass. The situation is similar to that in the weakly coupled E₈×E₈ theory with one important difference: we avoid the problem of small gaugino masses which are now comparable to the gravitino mass.     

Unification of gravity and elementary particle interactions in 26 dimensions?

The presence of an 11-cocycle in ten-dimensional theories containing an E₈×E₈ Yang-Mills theory coupled to supergravity suggests that the fundamental theory is a 26-dimensional string theory based on the Leech lattice. A theory with equal numbers of bosons and fermions is constructed by truncating a certain natural infinite-dimensional representation of the Monster sporadic group. This theory appears to be a certain combination of pieces of heterotic and N = 2 superstring.     

The heterotic string is a soliton

It is shown that the Type IIA superstring compactified on K3 has a smooth string soliton with the same zero mode structure as the heterotic string compactified on a four-torus, thus providing new evidence for a conjectured exact duality between the two six-dimensional string theories. The chiral worldsheet bosons arise as zero modes of Ramond-Ramond fields of the IIA string theory and live on a signature (20,4) even, self-dual lattice. Stable, finite loops of soliton string provide the charged Ramond-Ramond states necessary for enhanced gauge symmetries at degeneration points of the K3 surface. It is also shown that Type IIB strings toroidally compactified to six dimensions have a multiplet of string solutions with Type II worldsheets.     

Small instantons in string theory

A long-standing puzzle about the heterotic string has been what happens when an instanton shrinks to zero size. It is argued here that the answer at the quantum level is that an extra SU(2) gauge symmetry appears that is supported in the core of the instanton. Thus in particular the quantum heterotic string has vacua with higher rank than is possible in conformal field theory. When k instantons collapse at the same point, the enhanced gauge symmetry is Sp(k). These results, which can be tested by comparison to Dirichlet five-branes of Type I superstrings and to the ADHM construction of instantons, give the first example for the heterotic string of a non-perturbative phenomenon that cannot be turned off by making the coupling smaller. They have applications to several interesting puzzles about string duality.     

On generalized Yang-Mills theories and extensions of the standard model in Clifford (tensorial) spaces

We construct the Clifford-space tensorial-gauge fields generalizations of Yang-Mills theories and the Standard Model that allows to predict the existence of new particles (bosons, fermions) and tensor-gauge fields of higher-spins in the 10 Tev regime. We proceed with a detailed discussion of the unique D₄ − D₅ − E₆ − E₇ − E₈ model of Smith based on the underlying Clifford algebraic structures in D = 8, and which furnishes all the properties of the Standard Model and Gravity in four-dimensions, at low energies. A generalization and extension of Smith’s model to the full Clifford-space is presented when we write explicitly all the terms of the extended Clifford-space Lagrangian. We conclude by explaining the relevance of multiple-foldings of D = 8 dimensions related to the modulo 8 periodicity of the real Cliford algebras and display the interplay among Clifford, Division, Jordan, and Exceptional algebras, within the context of D = 26, 27, 28 dimensions, corresponding to bosonic string, M and F theory, respectively, advanced earlier by Smith. To finalize we describe explicitly how the E₈ × E₈ Yang-Mills theory can be obtained from a Gauge Theory based on the Clifford (16) group.     

Global gravitational anomalies

A general formula for global gauge and gravitational anomalies is derived. It is used to show that the anomaly free supergravity and superstring theories in ten dimensions are all free of global anomalies that might have ruined their consistency. However, it is shown that global anomalies lead to some restrictions on allowed compactifications of these theories. For example, in the case of O(32) superstring theory, it is shown that a global anomaly related to ₇(O(32)) leads to a Dirac-like quantization condition for the field strength of the antisymmetric tensor field.Related to global anomalies is the question of the number of fermion zero modes in an instanton field. It is argued that the relevant gravitational instantons are exotic spheres. It is shown that the number of fermion zero modes in an instanton field is always even in ten dimensional supergravity.Supported in part by NSF Grant No. PHY80-19754     

On the roughening transition in abelian lattice gauge theories

We study the width of the confining string between static quarks in abelian lattice gauge theories using strong coupling expansions. We consider gauge groups Z_n and U(1) in 3 and 4 dimensions. This extends previous work with Lüscher, where SU(2) and Z₂ were studied. In ν = 3 dimensions we find evidence for a roughening transition. It is characterized by a divergence of the string width for an infinitely far separated quark-antiquark pair, while the string tension remains non-zero. In ν = 4 dimensions for the abelian groups we do not have evidence for a roughening transition away from a phase transition.     

Little heterotic strings

We discuss toroidal orbifolds of the E ₈×E ₈ heterotic string, in which the free-fermionic Higgs–matter splitting is implemented by a shift in the internal lattice coupled with the fermion numbers of the gauge degrees of freedom. We consider models in which some choices of the orbifold result in the projection of the graviton. In the models that we consider the projection also results in flipping the spin–statistics assignments in the massive string spectrum, whereas the massless spectrum retains the conventional spin–statistics assignments. We argue that the partition functions are mathematically consistent for one- and multi-loop amplitudes, owning to the existence of supersymmetry in the spectrum. A duality between different models at non-zero temperature is briefly discussed.     

Hadron potentials within the gauge/string correspondence

It is known, since the 70s, that the large N 't Hooft limit of gauge theories is related to string theories. In 1998, J. M. Maldacena identified precisely such a relation: the so-called AdS/CFT correspondence which speculates a duality between a large N strongly-coupled supersymmetric and conformal Yang-Mills theory in four dimensions and a weakly-coupled string theory defined in a five-dimensional anti-de Sitter AdS₅ space-time. This review aims at introducing concepts and methods used to derive, in the framework of the gauge/string correspondence, the interaction potentials of mesons and baryons at zero and finite temperature. The dual string configurations associated with the different kinds of hadrons are described and their behaviours at short and large distances are understood. Although the application of Maldacena's AdS/CFT conjecture to QCD is not straightforward, QCD being neither supersymmetric nor conformal, the AdS/QCD correspondence approach attempts to identify the dual theory of QCD. Especially, the study of heavy quark-antiquark bound-states leads to establish general dual criteria for the confinement.     

On Hexagonal Structures in Higher Dimensional Theories

We analyze the geometrical background under which many Lie groups relevant to particle physics are endowed with a (possibly multiple) hexagonal structure. There are several groups appearing, either as special holonomy groups on the compactification process from higher dimensions, or as dynamical string gauge groups; this includes groups like SU(2), SU(3), G ₂, Spin(7), O(8) as well as E ₈ and O(32). We emphasize also the relation of these hexagonal structures with the octonion division algebra, as we expect as well eventually some role for octonions in the interpretation of symmetries in High Energy Physics.     

Influence of the boundary conditions on the fermi energy and density of states in a free-electron solid of sub-micron dimensions

Asymptotic expressions for the distribution of the eigenvalues of the Helmholtz-Schrödinger equation are used to anlyze the dependence of the Fermi energy, E_F, and the density of states, ρ(E), on sample size, shape, and electron density, in a free-electron model with Dirichlet boundary conditions. It is found that for very small samples E_F is increased relative to its asymptotic (i.e., bulk) value and ρ(E) is decreased relative to its bulk value. These effects are more pronounced for samples with low electron density and with a large surface-to-volume ratio. In general E_F and ρ(E_F) deviate significantly from their bulk values only for systems with fewer than 50,000 electrons and/or with linear dimensions of 100 Å or less. The use of smoothing functions to represent the density of states obtained from the exact eigenvalue distribution is also discussed. It is shown that an oscillating density of states leads to small cusps in the plot of E_F as a function of sample size. This is in qualitative agreement with the results of experiments on size-dependent oscillations in field emission from thin metallic films. Comparison is also made between photoemission experiments from thin films and other results obtained in this study.     

Ghost triality and superstring partition functions

In three or more space-time dimensions a heterotic string can have just four kinds of space-time supersymmetry, corresponding to the exceptional algebras E₆, E₇, E₈ and F₄. We give a simple argument why this correspondence, first observed in the context of the covariant lattice construction, holds for any heterotic superstring, no matter how it is constructed. Using the fact that SO(8) triality is an inner automorphism of the exceptional algebras, we derive a set of identities for character-valued partition functions, valid for any superstring in any space-time dimension and at any genus. These identities have exactly the structure of the Riemann identities, and are identical to the Riemann identities in the case of ten-dimensional strings. Their relavance for proving vanishing of the cosmological constant and non-renormalization theorems is discussed.