Lectures on D-branes, Gauge Theory and M(atrices)

TL;DR

This paper provides a pedagogical introduction to D-branes and Matrix theory, emphasizing their description through super Yang-Mills theory without relying on string theory methods, highlighting the connection to M-theory.

Contribution

It offers a detailed, accessible explanation of D-branes and Matrix theory using super Yang-Mills theory, focusing on physical properties and their relation to M-theory.

Findings

D-branes are described via super Yang-Mills theory.

Matrix theory relates to light-front M-theory.

Physical properties of D-branes are analyzed without string methods.

Abstract

These notes give a pedagogical introduction to D-branes and Matrix theory. The development of the material is based on super Yang-Mills theory, which is the low-energy field theory describing multiple D-branes. The main goal of these notes is to describe physical properties of D-branes in the language of Yang-Mills theory, without recourse to string theory methods. This approach is motivated by the philosophy of Matrix theory, which asserts that all the physics of light-front M-theory can be described by an appropriate super Yang-Mills theory.