4 research outputs found
Polyakov loop correlators from D0-brane interactions in bosonic string theory
In this paper we re-derive the effective Nambu-Goto theory result for the
Polyakov loop correlator, starting from the free bosonic string and using a
covariant quantization. The boundary conditions are those of an open string
attached to two D0-branes at spatial distance R, in a target space with compact
euclidean time. The one-loop free energy contains topologically distinct
sectors corresponding to multiple covers of the cylinder in target space
bordered by the Polyakov loops. The sector that winds once reproduces exactly
the Nambu-Goto partition function. In our approach, the world-sheet duality
between the open and closed channel is most evident and allows for an explicit
interpretation of the free energy in terms of tree level exchange of closed
strings between boundary states. Our treatment is fully consistent only in
d=26; extension to generic d may be justified for large R, and is supported by
Montecarlo data. At shorter scales, consistency and Montecarlo data seem to
suggest the necessity of taking into account the Liouville mode of Polyakov's
formulation.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, minor corrections, a few references added,
version accepted for publication in JHE