E(lementary) Strings in Six-Dimensional Heterotic F-Theory

Using E-strings, we can analyze not only six-dimensional superconformal field theories but also probe vacua of non-perturabative heterotic string. We study strings made of D3-branes wrapped on various two-cycles in the global F-theory setup. We claim that E-strings are elementary in the sense that various combinations of E-strings can form M-strings as well as heterotic strings and new kind of strings, called G-strings. Using them, we show that emissions and combinations of heterotic small instantons generate most of known six-dimensional superconformal theories, their affinizations and little string theories. Taking account of global structure of compact internal geometry, we also show that special combinations of E-strings play an important role in constructing six-dimensional theories of $D$- and $E$-types. We check global consistency conditions from anomaly cancellation conditions, both from five-branes and strings, and show that they are given in terms of elementary E-string combinations.Comment: 58 pages, 16 figures; v2. version to appear in JHE