Selected
topics in
String theory, Field theory and Cosmology
弦論、場論與宇宙學
(PHYS586000)
Lecturer:
Chong-Sun Chu (NTHU)
Kazuyuki Furuuchi (NTHU)
Hiroshi Isono (NTHU)
Jackson Wu (NCTS)
Location: Physics 504.
Time: Wednesday 10:10am - 11:55pm, with a 5 minutes break.
Announcements:
Feb 19, 2013: lecture starts on Feb 27.
Aim: This is an introductory course
on string theory. It aims to give students a rough idea of
what string theory is. Students who are interested in particle
physics phenomenology, quantum field theory, gravity or string
theory are all welcome.
Format: Two hours lecture per week. Each lecturer will
lecture on a topic (see below)
for about a month. There is no examination for this
course.
Audience: Highly motivated students, undergraduate and
graduate students
all welcome.
Topics:
D-branes and string theory:
An elementary introduction to string
theory, with emphasis on D-branes. (Chu: Feb 27, March 6, 13,
20)
Conformal symmetry and conformal
field theory (Isono: Mach 13, 20, 27, April
10)
Application AdS/CFT:
focusing in particular on condensed matter
systems. I would introduce the ideas of AdS/CFT, and discuss why
it can
be relevant for condensed mater theory. I would then discuss the
relevant methodologies, as well as the physics of spectral
functions.
Lastly I would discuss holographic superconductor as an example
of the
application. (Wu: April 17, 24, May 1, 8)
Cosmology and inflation
(Furuuchi: May 15, 22, 29, June 5)
Recommened Books:
David Tong: Lectures on String Theory,
http://arxiv.org/abs/0908.0333, pdf available here for download.
Barton Zwiebach, A First Course in String Theory, Cambridge
University Press, second edition, 2009.