The complete non-perturbative partition function of minimal superstring theory and JT supergravity

TL;DR

This paper derives an exact, convergent partition function for minimal superstring theory and JT supergravity, revealing fundamental objects called F-branes and anti-F-branes, and connecting string theory with matrix models and free fermions.

Contribution

It provides the first exact non-perturbative partition function for minimal superstring theory and JT supergravity, including all non-perturbative effects, and introduces F-branes and anti-F-branes as fundamental objects.

Findings

Exact partition function derived for minimal superstring theory.

Identification of F-branes and anti-F-branes as fundamental objects.

Partition function matches matrix integral dual description.

Abstract

We derive an exact convergent expression for the partition function of the $\mathcal{N}=1$ $(2,4k)$ minimal superstring theory with type 0B GSO projection in the ungapped phase by leveraging the duality between this theory and a double-scaled unitary matrix integral. Taking the $k\rightarrow\infty$ limit, we also obtain the complete partition function of $\mathcal{N}=1$ JT supergravity, including all contributions associated with "doubly non-perturbative" effects. We discover that the fundamental objects of the string theory are a linear combination of the standard FZZT branes which we call F-branes, along with their charge-conjugate partners which we call anti-F-branes. Summing over the disk and cylinder diagram contributions of the F-branes and anti-F-branes and integrating over their moduli space completely reproduces our expression for the partition function from the matrix integral side of the duality. We show that the string theory can be expressed precisely in the formalism of dressed free fermions and we propose a Hilbert space interpretation of our results. We present exact expressions for the matrix integral correlators of the double-scaled eigenvalue density.