Black Holes in String Theory

TL;DR

This paper explores the microscopic quantum description of black holes within string theory, demonstrating how black hole entropy can be derived from counting microscopic states and analyzing black hole properties in various dimensions.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of black hole entropy and decay in string theory, connecting microscopic configurations to macroscopic properties in multiple dimensions.

Findings

Black hole entropy matches microscopic state counting.

Hawking temperature and decay processes are characterized.

Analysis covers black holes in 4 and 5 dimensions.

Abstract

This thesis is devoted to trying to find a microscopic quantum description of black holes. We consider black holes in string theory which is a quantum theory of gravity. We find that the ``area law'' black hole entropy for extremal and near-extremal charged black holes arises from counting microscopic configurations. We study black holes in five and four spacetime dimensions. We calculate the Hawking temperature and give a physical picture of the Hawking decay process. Hopefully, the reader will find here a moderately self contained review of D-branes and string theory applied to black hole physics.