String Theory and M-Theory : A Modern Introduction

String theory is one of the most exciting and challenging areas of modern theoretical physics. This book guides the reader from the basics of string theory to recent developments. It introduces the basics of perturbative string theory, world-sheet supersymmetry, space-time supersymmetry, conformal field theory and the heterotic string, before describing modern developments, including D-branes, string dualities and M-theory. It then covers string geometry and flux compactifications, applications to cosmology and particle physics, black holes in string theory and M-theory, and the microscopic origin of black-hole entropy. It concludes with Matrix theory, the AdS/CFT duality and its generalizations. This book is ideal for graduate students and researchers in modern string theory, and will make an excellent textbook for a one-year course on string theory. It contains over 120 exercises with solutions, and over 200 homework problems with solutions available on a password protected website for lecturers at (http://www.cambridge.org/9780521860697) www.cambridge.org/9780521860697 . "String theory is one of the most exciting and challenging areas of modern theoretical physics. This book guides the reader from the basics of string theory to very recent developments at the frontier of string theory research." "This book is ideal for graduate students studying modern string theory, and it will make an excellent textbook for a 1-year course on string theory. It will also be useful for researchers interested in learning about developments in modern string theory. The book contains about 120 solved exercises, as well as about 200 homework problems, solutions of which are available for lecturers on a password protected website."--Jacket String theory is one of the most exciting and challenging areas of modern theoretical physics. This book guides the reader from the basics of string theory to developments at the frontier of string theory research. This book is ideal for graduate students studying modern string theory. It will also be useful for researchers interested in learning about developments in modern string theory. The book contains about 120 solved exercises, as well as about 200 homework problems, solutions of which are available for lecturers on a password protected website. -- Jacket The Bosonic String -- Conformal Field Theory And String Interactions -- Strings With World-sheet Supersymmetry -- Strings With Space-time Supersymmetry -- T-duality And D-branes -- The Heterotic String -- M-theory And String Duality -- String Geometry -- Flux Compactifications -- Black Holes In String Theory -- Gauge Theory/string Theory Dualities. Katrin Becker, Melanie Becker, And John H. Schwarz. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 700-725) And Index. This book guides the reader through string theory, one of the most exciting and challenging areas of modern theoretical physics. It is ideal for graduate students and researchers in modern string theory, and will make an excellent textbook. It contains exercises with solutions, and homework problems with solutions.