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String Theory Demystified

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236 <strong>String</strong> <strong>Theory</strong> Demystifi ed<br />

where ϕ *<br />

* 2<br />

is a critical point. The term λϕ ( − ϕ)<br />

is quadratic so is a mass term. In<br />

the case of a D-brane, the leading term is given by the tension T. If a tachyon lives<br />

on the D-brane, then<br />

V( ϕ)<br />

T<br />

α ϕ<br />

1<br />

= − +<br />

2 ′<br />

2 <br />

So, if the potential strays away from ϕ = 0 this shows that the D-brane is losing<br />

energy. What happens is the D-brane decays away into closed string states. Generally<br />

speaking this is an artifact of bosonic string theory. In superstring theory there are<br />

stable D-brane states. However, in superstring theory you can have an anti-D-brane,<br />

which can be coincident with a D-brane. Like particles and antiparticles, they<br />

annihilate. This is because there are tachyon states stretched between them.<br />

We consider a simple example. The tachyon potential for a D1-brane coincident<br />

with an anti-D1-brane is<br />

V( ϕ)<br />

( )<br />

λ 2<br />

= ϕ −ϕ0<br />

2<br />

*<br />

The fi rst step is to fi nd the critical points V ′ ( ϕ ) = 0. The fi rst derivative is<br />

Setting this equal to 0 we fi nd<br />

The second derivative of the potential is<br />

2 2<br />

( 0 )<br />

2 2<br />

V ′ ( ϕ) = 2λ<br />

ϕ −ϕ<br />

ϕ<br />

*<br />

ϕ = , ± ϕ<br />

0 0<br />

2 2 2<br />

V ′′ ( ϕ) = 2λ( ϕ −ϕ<br />

)+ 4λϕ<br />

0<br />

Expanding the potential to second order about ϕ = a is<br />

1<br />

V = V( a) + V′ ( a)( ϕ− a) + V′′ ( a)( ϕ−<br />

a)<br />

+<br />

2<br />

2

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