String Theory and Particle Physics

Luis E. Ibáñez is Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and member of the Instituto de Física Teórica-UAM/CSIC. One of the world leaders in physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, he has made important contributions to the construction of the supersymmetric Standard Model and superstring phenomenology. Angel M. Uranga is Research Professor at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas at the Instituto de Física Teórica-UAM/CSIC. He is one of the leading young string theorists working in the construction of models of particle physics, in particular due to his contribution on the use of D-branes to build realistic brane-world models.

• Preface; 1. The standard model and beyond; 2. Supersymmetry; 3. Introduction to string theory: the bosonic string; 4. Superstrings; 5. Toroidal compactification of superstrings; 6. Branes and string duality; 7. Calabi–Yau compactifications of heterotic superstrings; 8. Heterotic string orbifolds and other exact CFT constructions; 9. Heterotic string compactifications: effective action; 10. Type IIA orientifold compactifications: intersecting brane worlds; 11. Type IIB orientifold compactifications; 12. Type II compactifications: effective action; 13. String instantons and effective field theory; 14. Flux compactifications and moduli stabilization; 15. Moduli stabilization and supersymmetry breaking in string theory; 16. Further phenomenological properties. Strings and cosmology; 17. The space of string vacua; Appendices; Index.

'This is the first fully modern treatment of string compactifications, written by two of the masters of the subject. It provides an excellent general introduction to string theory, and in-depth coverage of both the latest developments (including detailed pedagogical discussions of frontier topics like flux compactifications and D-brane instanton effects), as well as more traditional subjects (such as model-building with heterotic strings). It will be invaluable as a textbook for curious students, and a reference volume of lasting value for experts working in the field. If, as many of us hope, the LHC era reveals new clues linking particle physics to string-scale physics, acquaintance with the material in this volume may well provide crucial tools for exploring and exploiting those links.' Shamit Kachru, Stanford University and SLAC