Part I. Basics: 1. A brief introduction; 2. Special relativity and extra dimensions; 3. Electromagnetism and gravitation; 4. Non-relativistic strings; 5. The relativistic point particle; 6. Relativistic strings; 7. String parameterization and motion; 8. World-sheet currents; 9. Light-cone relativistic strings; 10. Light-cone fields and particles; 11. Relativistic quantum particles; 12. Quantum open strings; 13. Quantum closed strings; Part II. Developments: 14. D-branes and gauge fields; 15. String charge, electric charge, and particle physics; 16. String thermodynamics and black holes; 17. T-duality of closed strings; 18. T-duality of open strings; 19. Electromagnetic fields on D-branes; 20. Nonlinear electrodynamics; 21. Covariant string quantization; 22. Interactions and Riemann surfaces; 23. Loop amplitudes in string theory; References; Index.
Accessible introduction to string theory for advanced undergraduate and graduate students.
'A refreshingly different approach to string theory that requires
remarkably little previous knowledge of quantum theory or
relativity. This highlights fundamental features of the theory that
make it so radically different from theories based on point-like
particles. This book makes the subject amenable to undergraduates
but it will also appeal greatly to beginning researchers who may be
overwhelmed by the standard textbooks.' Professor Michael Green,
University of Cambridge
'Barton Zwiebach has written a careful and thorough introduction to
string theory that is suitable for a full-year course at the
advanced undergraduate level. There has been much demand for a book
about string theory at this level, and this one should go a long
way towards meeting that demand.' Professor John Schwarz,
California Institute of Technology
'There is a great curiosity about string theory, not only among
physics undergraduates but also among professional scientists
outside of the field. This audience needs a text that goes much
further than the popular accounts but without the full technical
detail of a graduate text. Zwiebach's book meets this need in a
clear and accessible manner. It is well-grounded in familiar
physical concepts, and proceeds through some of the most timely and
exciting aspects of the subject.' Professor Joseph Polchinski,
University of California, Santa Barbara
'Zwiebach, a respected researcher in the field and a much beloved
teacher at MIT, is truly faithful to his goal of making string
theory accessible to advanced undergraduates – the test develops
intuition before formalism, usually through simplified and
illustrative examples … Zwiebach avoids the temptation of including
topics that would weigh the book down and make many students rush
it back to the shelf and quit the course.' Physics Today
'… well-written … takes us through the hottest topics in string
theory research, requiring only a solid background in mechanics and
some basic quantum mechanics. … This is not just one more text in
the ever-growing canon of popular books on string theory …'. The
Times Higher Education Supplement
'… the book provides an excellent basis for an introductory course
on string theory and is well-suited for self-study by graduate
students or any physicist who wants to learn the basics of string
theory.' Zentralblatt MATH
'… excellent introduction by Zwiebach … aimed at advanced
undergraduates who have some background in quantum mechanics and
special relativity, but have not necessarily mastered quantum field
theory and general relativity yet … the book … is a very thorough
introduction to the subject … Equipped with this background, the
reader can safely start to tackle the books by Green, Schwarz and
Witten and by Polchinski.' Marcel L Vonk, Mathematical Reviews
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