Branes, gauge theory and instantons


December 12 - December 19


Institut Henri Poincare


Michael Douglas (Rutgers)


Presently no lecture notes exist


Lecture 1 D-BRANES AND GAUGE THEORY IN FLAT SPACE


An introductory lecture. Students will be expected to be familiar with supersymmetric gauge theory and basic concepts of string theory.


Lecture 2 BRANES, INSTANTONS AND MONOPOLES


Explains the derivation of the ADHM and Nahm constructions of instantons and monopoles in commutative and noncommutative gauge theories from branes.


Lecture 3 BRANES AT ORBIFOLD SINGULARITIES


Explains how such theories are derived, their basic physical properties and the McKay correspondence.


Lecture 4 INTRODUCTION TO D-BRANES ON CALABI-YAU


Some general concepts, illustrated by in-depth consideration of the non-compact Calabi-Yau obtained by resolving a $C^3 / Z_3$ orbifold.