Course Meeting Times
Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session
Prerequisites
8.033 (Relativity), 8.044 (Statistical Physics I), and 8.05 (Quantum Physics II).
Textbook
Zwiebach, Barton. A First Course in String Theory. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2004. ISBN: 9780521831437.
Additional Reference
A new readable book at the graduate level is:
Becker, Katrin, Melanie Becker, and John H. Schwarz. String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780521860697.
Homework
There will be weekly homework. No late homework will be accepted. Students will be able to drop one homework - the one with the lowest grade - from their record.
Tests
There will be two tests and a final exam.
Grading
| ACTIVITIES | PERCENTAGES |
|---|---|
| Homework | 35% |
| Test 1 | 20% |
| Test 2 | 20% |
| Final exam | 25% |
Calendar
| SES # | TOPICS | KEY DATES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Announcements, introduction Lorentz transformations Light-cone coordinates |
|
| 2 |
Energy and momentum Compact dimensions, orbifolds Quantum mechanics and the square well |
|
| 3 |
Relativistic electrodynamics Gauss’ law Gravitation and Planck’s length |
Homework 1 due |
| 4 | Gravitational potentials, compactification, and large extra dimensions | |
| 5 | Nonrelativistic strings and lagrangian mechanics | Homework 2 due |
| 6 | The relativistic point particle: Action, reparametrizations, and equations of motion | |
| 7 | Area formula for spatial surfaces | Homework 3 due |
| 8 | Area formula for spatial surfaces (cont.) | |
| 9 | Change of variables | Homework 4 due |
| 10 | Relativistic strings: Nambu-Goto action, equations of motion and boundary conditions | Homework 5 due |
| 11 |
Static gauge, transverse velocity, and string action Motion of free open string endpoints |
|
| 12 |
The sigma-parametrization Equations of motion and virasoro constraints General motion for open strings Rotating open strings |
Homework 6 due |
| Test 1 | ||
| 13 |
Periodicity conditions for the motion of closed strings The formation of cusps Conserved currents in E&M Conserved charges in lagrangian mechanics |
|
| 14 |
Momentum charges for the string Lorentz charges for the strings Angular momentum of the rotating string Discuss alpha’ and the string length l_s General gauges: fixing tau and natural units |
Homework 7 due |
| 15 | Solution of the open string motion in the light-cone gauge | |
| 16 | Light-cone fields and particles | |
| 17 | Light-cone fields and particles (cont.) | Homework 8 due |
| 18 | Open strings | Homework 9 due |
| 19 |
Critical dimension Constructing the state space Tachyons |
|
| 20 | Closed strings | Homework 10 due |
| 21 |
Wrap-up of closed strings Superstrings |
|
| Test 2 | ||
| 22 | Superstrings (cont.) | |
| 23 |
Closed strings Heterotic string theory |
|
| 24 |
Dp-branes Parallel Dp’s |
Homework 11 due |
| 25 | Dp-branes (cont.) | |
| 26 | Final exam review | |
| Final exam week |
