Superstring phenomenology; Fisher Room; W 3:00PM
Instructor: Alon Faraggi;
Phone: 273960;
Email: alon.faraggi@liv.ac.uk
Lecture notes
These are the lecture notes on "String Phenomenology".
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.