Quantum rolling tachyon

TL;DR

This paper investigates the quantum effects on the decay of D-branes via rolling tachyons, showing how quantum fluctuations modify open string propagation and boundary actions, with significant suppression at large times.

Contribution

It provides a quantum analysis of the rolling tachyon background, highlighting modifications to boundary actions and the suppression of open string propagation over time.

Findings

Quantum effects modify boundary string actions.

Boundary bilocal terms are generated without spoiling conformal invariance.

Open string propagation is strongly suppressed at large times.

Abstract

We consider the quantum treatment of the rolling tachyon background describing the decay of D-branes in the limit of weak string coupling. We focus on the propagation of an open string in the fluctuating background and show how the boundary string action is modified by quantum effects. A bilocal term in the boundary action is generated which, however, does not spoil the vanishing of the $\beta$ function at one loop. The propagation of an open string for large times is found to be very strongly suppressed.