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D-branes: perturbative and non-perturbative applications to SUSY gauge theories

Alberto Lerda - Università del Piemonte Orientale

Marco Billò - Università di Torino

 
  In these lectures we discuss the general properties of D-branes and their applications in the study of supersymmetric gauge theories. We focus in particular on SQCD-like models with N=2 supersymmetry realized with D-branes on top of orientifold planes, and analyze both their perturbative and non-perturbative features. We also discuss the role of D-instantons in these models and their relation to gauge instantons, and provide a general introduction to the stringy realization of the multi-instanton calculus and localization techniques. Finally we briefly discuss extensions to less supersymmetric configurations and other ``exotic'' effects.  
  The plan of the course is (time permitting):
 
 
    Part I
  • Introduction to D-branes;
  • D-branes as non-perturbative supergravity solutions;
  • Open strings with generalized boundary conditions;
  • Systems of magnetized and intersecting branes;
  • D-branes in orbifolds and orientifolds: SYM theories with N=2 and N=1 supersymmetry
  • N=2 SQCD realized with D3 and D7 branes on top of O7 planes: massless spectrum and 1-loop amplitudes.
    1. Part II
  • D-instantons and their relation to gauge instantons;
  • D-instantons in the D3/D7/O7 system: Supersymmetries, moduli spectrum and ADHM constraints;
  • Instanton calculus in the string realization;
  • The non-perturbative prepotential of N=2 SQCD at 1-instanton;
  • Localization techniques for higher instanton numbers;
  • Extension to less supersymmetric cases: N=1 SQCD realized via a quiver and the ADS superpotential;
  • Brief discussion of other non-perturbative effects in D-brane models: (compactified) euclidean p-branes, ``exotic'' (or ``stringy'') instantons.
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      Bibliography:
     
      J. Polchinski, TASI Lectures on D-branes [arXiv:hep-th/9611050]
      C. Angelantonj and A. Sagnotti, Open strings, Phys. Rept. 371 (2002) 1 [arXiv:hep-th/0204089]
      M. Bertolini, M. Billò, A. Lerda, J.F. Morales and R. Russo, Brane world effective actions for D-branes with fluxes, Nucl. Phys. B743 (2006) 1 [arXiv:hep-th/0512067]
      M. Billò, M. Frau, I. Pesando, F. Fucito, A. Lerda and A. Liccardo, Classical gauge instantons from open strings, JHEP 0302 (2003) 045 [arXiv:hep-th/0211250]
      M. Billò, L. Ferro, M. Frau, L. Gallot, A. Lerda and I. Pesando, Exotic instanton counting and heterotic/type I' duality, JHEP 0907 (2009) 092 [arXiv:0905.4586 [hep-th]]