nLab
string

Idea

A string is a brane of dimension one higher than an ordinary particle:

where a 1-dimensional sigma-model may be thought of a describing the dynamics of particles propagating of a target space $X$, a 2-dimensional sigma-model is said to described the dynamics of a string on some target space.

Much of traditional quantum field theory on $X$ may be understood in terms of second quantization of 1-dimensional sigma-models with target space $X$. What is called string theory is the corresponding study of what happens to this situation as the 1-dimensional $\sigma$-model is replaced by a 2-dimensional one.

There is

• the bosonic string of bosonic string theory

• the superstring of superstring theory

(also called the F1-brane)

• there is also the D1-brane.

Related entries

• string theory

• string scattering amplitudes

• string field theory

• string theory FAQ

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