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Superstring phenomenology; Fisher Room; W 3:00PM

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Instructor: Alon Faraggi;

Phone: 273960;

Email: faraggi@thphys.ox.ac.uk

Course Description

I. General outline:

The course aim is introduction to superstring phenomenology. I will start by introducing the Standard Model and grand unified theories. The tools to derive those structures in string theory will be introduced, and their application in the phenomenological studies of semi--realistic string models. The final lectures will be devoted to duality and non--perturbative aspects of string theory.

 

II. The plan of the course:

Lecture # :

1. The Standard Model

2. Grand Unification and supersymmetry

3. phenomenological aspects of unification: proton decay, RGE's, neutrino masses

4. General elements of string theory: bosonic string

5. fermionic and heterotic string

6. four dimensional constructions: Orbifold compactifications

7. 4D free fermionic formulation: Generalities

8. Partition functions and modular invariance

9. Model building in the fermionic formulation

10. NAHE set and Z2XZ2 orbifold

11. Realistic three generation models

12. Calculation of superpotential terms

13. Flat directions and phenomenological studies

14. Beyond the Standard Model

15. String dualities

16. Nonperturbative considerations and outlook

III. References

References for background material include:

1. Cheng and Li, Gauge theory of elementary particle physics, Clarendon Press.

2. Green, Schwarz and Witten, Superstring theory, Cambridge Univ. Press.

3. Polchinski, String theory, Vols I and II, Cambridge Univ. Press.