String Theory

Erscheinungsjahr 2012
ISBN: 978-0-521-63303-1
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 422 Seiten, Format (B × H): 175 mm x 250 mm, Gewicht: 907 g

Reihe: Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics

String Theory comprises two volumes which give a comprehensive and pedagogic account of the subject. Volume 1 provides a thorough introduction to the bosonic string. The first four chapters introduce the central ideas of string theory, the tools of conformal field theory and of the Polyakov path integral, and the covariant quantization of the string. The next three chapters treat string interactions: the general formalism, and detailed treatments of the tree level and one loop amplitudes. Chapter eight covers toroidal compactification and many important aspects of string physics, such as T-duality and D-branes. Chapter nine treats higher-order amplitudes, including an analysis of their finiteness and unitarity, and various nonperturbative ideas. An appendix giving a short course on path integral methods is included. This is an essential text and reference for graduate students and researchers interested in modern superstring theory.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Polchinski, Joseph

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Physik Quantenphysik Teilchenphysik
• Naturwissenschaften Physik Physik Allgemein Theoretische Physik, Mathematische Physik, Computerphysik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Foreword
Preface
Notation
1. A first look at strings
2. Conformal field theory
3. The Polyakov path integral
4. The string spectrum
5. The string S-matrix
6. Tree-level amplitudes
7. One-loop amplitudes
8. Toroidal compactification and T-duality
9. Higher order amplitudes
Appendix A: a short course on path integrals
References
Glossary
Index.