Strings, Branes and Extra Dimensions
arXiv:hep-th/0110055 · doi:10.1002/1521-3978(200203)50:3/4<221::AID-PROP221>3.0.CO;2-P
Abstract
This review is devoted to strings and branes. Firstly, perturbative string theory is introduced. The appearance of various types of branes is discussed. These include orbifold fixed planes, D-branes and orientifold planes. The connection to BPS vacua of supergravity is presented afterwards. As applications, we outline the role of branes in string dualities, field theory dualities, the AdS/CFT correspondence and scenarios where the string scale is at a TeV. Some issues of warped compactifications are also addressed. These comprise corrections to gravitational interactions as well as the cosmological constant problem.
238 pages, latex (latex master.tex), references added