Notes on D-Branes

TL;DR

This paper provides an overview of D-branes and orientifolds in open and unoriented strings, emphasizing T-duality effects and applications to string duality, aimed at the heterotic string research community.

Contribution

It offers a pedagogical review of D-branes and orientifolds, highlighting their features under T-duality and their role in string duality, with updated references.

Findings

D-branes and orientifolds exhibit interesting features under T-duality.

Application of D-branes to string duality enhances understanding of string theory.

Lectures serve as remedial material for heterotic string researchers.

Abstract

This is a series of remedial lectures on open and unoriented strings for the heterotic string generation. The particular focus is on the interesting features that arise under T-duality---D-branes and orientifolds. The final lecture discusses the application to string duality. There will be no puns. Lectures presented by J. P. at the ITP from Nov. 16 to Dec. 5, 1995. References updated through Jan. 25, 1996.