On The Structure Of The Chan-Paton Factors For D-Branes In Type II Orientifolds

Abstract

We determine the structure of the Chan-Paton factors of the open strings ending on space filling D-branes in Type II orientifolds. Through the analysis, we obtain a rule concerning possible distribution of O-plane types. The result is applied to classify the topology of D-branes in terms of Fredholm operators and K-theory, deriving a proposal made earlier and extending it to more general cases. It is also applied to compactifications with N=1 supersymmetry in four-dimensions. We adapt and develop the language of category in this context, and use it to describe some decay channels.Comment: 137 page