Strings in compact dimensions

String Theory (Fall, 2010)

Lecture Playlist

  1. The historical origins of string theory

  2. Mathematics of string motion

  3. The energy spectrum of strings

  4. Closed strings and the level matching rule

  5. Bosonic strings

  6. Strings with spin

  7. Fermionic strings and path integrals

  8. Conformal mapping and string scattering

  9. Strings in compact dimensions

  10. T-duality, D-branes and modeling field theories

  11. String theory wrapup

November 23, 2010

This lecture explores the consequences of string excitations in compact dimensions.  Compact dimensions lead to quantized momentum and also to quantized energy levels due to stretching around the compact dimensions.  The duality of the momentum and winding states is explored.

Topics: 
  • Strings moving on a sphere
  • Periodic dimensions
  • Quantizing string motion on a torus
  • The duality of winding and quantized momentum – T-duality