Tachyon condensation in unbalanced D-anti D system

The tachyon condensation is studied in asymmetric D-anti D systems. Taking a system of two pairs of D5-anti D5 in type IIB superstring theory in the background of large N D5-branes, we show that one BPS D1-brane comes out after the condensation. It is also seen that the BPS D1-brane feels no force from the background D5-branes. We also show that the inclusion of the fluctuation fields gives an expected Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) action of the resultant D1-brane. On the other hand, in the case of one pair of D5-anti D5 in the same background, we show that the resultant BPS D3-brane experiences attractive force from the background D5-branes.Comment: 18 pages, minor corrections, to appear in Prog. Theor. Phy

IIB Matrix Model with D1-D5 Backgrounds

We consider IIB matrix model with D1-D5-brane backgrounds. Using the fact that noncommutative gauge theory on the D-branes can be obtained as twisted reduced model in IIB matrix model, we study two-dimensional gauge theory on D1-branes and D5-branes. Especially the spectrum of the zero modes in the off-diagonal parts is examined. We also consider the description of D1-branes as local excitations of gauge theory on D5-branes. Relation to supergravity solution is also discussed.Comment: 17 pages, LaTe

Supersymmetric probes on the conifold

We study the supersymmetric embeddings of different D-brane probes in the AdS_5 x T^{1,1} geometry. The main tool employed is kappa symmetry and the cases studied include D3-, D5- and D7-branes. We find a family of three-cycles of the T^{1,1} space over which a D3-brane can be wrapped supersymmetrically and we determine the field content of the corresponding gauge theory duals. Supersymmetric configurations of D5-branes wrapping a two-cycle and of spacetime filling D7-branes are also found. The configurations in which the entire T^{1,1} space is wrapped by a D5-brane (baryon vertex) and a D7-brane are also studied. Some other embeddings which break supersymmetry but are nevertheless stable are also determined.Comment: 44 pages, LaTeX; v2: typos corrected, references added, discussion of D5-brane embeddings improve

Free Energies and Probe Actions for Near-horizon D-branes and D1 + D5 System

By working with the free energy for the type II supergravity near-horizon solution of N coincident non-extremal Dp-branes we study the transitions among the non-conformal Dp-brane system, the perturbative super Yang-Mills theory and a certain system associated with M theory. We derive a relation between this free energy and the action of a Dp-brane probe in the N Dp-brane background. Constructing the free energy for the five dimensional black hole labeled by the D1-brane and D5-brane charges we find the similar relation between it and the action of a D1 or D5 brane probe in the D1 + D5 brane background. These relations are explained by the massive open strings stretched between the relevant D-branesComment: 14 pages, LaTeX2e, no figure

SO(32) Spinors of Type I and Other Solitons on Brane-Antibrane Pair

We construct the SO(32) spinor state in weakly coupled type I string theory as a kink solution of the tachyon field on the D-string - anti-D-string pair and calculate its mass. We also give a description of this system in terms of an exact boundary conformal field theory and show that in this description this state can be regarded as a non-supersymmetric D0-brane in type I string theory. This construction can be generalised to represent the D0-brane in type IIA string theory as a vortex solution of the tachyon field on the membrane anti-membrane pair, and the D-string of type I string theory as a topological soliton of the tachyon field on the D5-brane anti- D5-brane pair.Comment: LaTeX file, 31 page

K3 Orientifolds

We study string theory propagating on R^6 times K3 by constructing orientifolds of Type IIB string theory compactified on the T^4/Z_N orbifold limits of the K3 surface. This generalises the Z_2 case studied previously. The orientifold models studied may be divided into two broad categories, sometimes related by T-duality. Models in category A require either both D5- and D9-branes, or only D9-branes, for consistency. Models in category B require either only D5-branes, or no D-branes at all. This latter case is an example of a consistent purely closed unoriented string theory. The spectra of the resulting six dimensional N=1 supergravity theories are presented. Precise statements are made about the relation of the Z_N ALE spaces and D5-branes to instantons in the dual heterotic string theory.Comment: 34 pages in harvmac `b' option. Requires epsf.tex for 8 figures. Revised version (to appear in Nucl. Phys. B.) corrects typographical error

Creation of Strings in D-particle Quantum Mechanics

D-particle quantum mechanics in a type I' background is reviewed. It is also discussed how a string is created when a D-particle is taken through a D8-brane. The process is found to be dual to the creation of a D3-brane when a NS5 and D5 brane are passed through each other.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. Uses espcrc2.sty. Talk given at STRINGS'9