Introduction to D-Branes, with Applications

TL;DR

This paper reviews the fundamental concepts and techniques of D-branes and orientifolds, highlighting their applications in string dualities, black hole entropy calculations, and lower-dimensional string vacua.

Contribution

It provides an overview of D-branes and orientifolds with specific applications in dual string constructions, black hole entropy, and string vacua development.

Findings

Construction of dual solitonic strings in string duality

Calculation of black hole entropy using D-branes

Development of N=1 string vacua in lower dimensions

Abstract

A brief review of some of the central ideas, terminology and techniques of the technology of orientifolds and D-branes is presented. Some applications are reviewed, including the construction of dual solitonic strings in the context of string/string duality, the computation of the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy/area law for extremal black holes, and the construction of N=1 string vacua in dimensions lower than ten. (Contribution to the proceedings of the fourth International Workshop on Supersymmetry and Unification of Fundamental Interactions (SUSY '96), held at the University of Maryland at College Park, May 29 - June 1, 1996.)