String Theory - Tome 2, Superstring Theory and Beyond

String Theory comprises two volumes, which provide an up-to-date, comprehensive and pedagogic account of the subject. Volume II, Superstring Theory and Beyond, begins with an introduction to supersymmetric string theories and goes on to a broad presentation of the important advances of recent years. The first three chapters introduce the type I, type II, and heterototic superstring theories and their interactions. The next two chapters present important recent discoveries about strongly coupled strings, beginning with a detailed treatment of D-branes and their dynamics, and covering string duality M-theory, and black hole entropy. The final four chapters are concerned with four-dimensional string theories, and have two goals : to show how some of the simplest string models connect with previous ideas for unifying the Standard Model, and to collect many important and beautiful general results on world-sheet and space-time symmetries. An Appendix summarizes the necessary background on fermions and supersymmetry. Each volume contains an annotated reference section, emphasizing references that will be useful to the student, as well as a detailed glossary of important terms and concepts. Many exercises are included, which are intended to reinforce the main points of the text and bring in additional ideas. An essential text and reference for graduate students and researchers in theoretical physics, particle physics, and relativity with an interest in modern superstring theory.