SL(2,Z) duality of Born-Infeld theory from self-dual electrodynamics in 6 dimensions

TL;DR

This paper reformulates the Born-Infeld action with axion and dilaton fields to make SL(2,Z) duality manifest, deriving it from a 6D self-dual theory and exploring implications for M-theory and IIB branes.

Contribution

It introduces a duality-invariant formulation of the Born-Infeld action via dimensional reduction from a 6D self-dual theory, linking it to string theory applications.

Findings

Derived a duality-symmetric Born-Infeld action with axion and dilaton.

Connected the action to the complex structure of a torus in 6D.

Explored implications for M-theory and IIB three-branes.

Abstract

We reformulate the Born-Infeld action, coupled to an axion and a dilaton in a duality manifest way. This action is the generalization of the Schwarz-Sen action for non-linear electrodynamics. We show that this action may be obtained by dimensional reduction on a torus of a self-dual theory in 6 dimensions. The dilaton-axion being identified with the complex structure of the torus. Applications to M-theory and the self-dual IIB three brane are investigated.