Path integral for the closed superstring and the matrix model

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Asano, Yuhma
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Asano, Yuhma
author_facet Asano, Yuhma
contents The IKKT matrix model, which is proposed as a non-perturbative formulation of superstring theory, has an issue typical of zero-dimensional theory -- ambiguity in the definition of its path integral. To tackle this issue, we revisit the path-integral formulation of perturbative string theory. In this article, we review recent progress in the string world-sheet path-integral formulation, especially in the Minkowski signature. We first derive the Minkowskian path integral of the Nambu-Goto type equivalent to Polyakov's Euclidean path integral for critical closed string theory, showing equivalences among the Nambu-Goto-, Schild- and Polyakov-type formulations both in the Minkowskian and Euclidean signatures. We also show that ``stringy causality'' is realised in the path-integral formulation at the level of string perturbation theory. We then obtain the matrix model with a property like the stringy causality, which turns out to be a Minkowskian version of the NBI-type IKKT matrix model, by matrix regularisation of the path integral for perturbative type IIB string theory.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_25052
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Path integral for the closed superstring and the matrix model
Asano, Yuhma
High Energy Physics - Theory
The IKKT matrix model, which is proposed as a non-perturbative formulation of superstring theory, has an issue typical of zero-dimensional theory -- ambiguity in the definition of its path integral. To tackle this issue, we revisit the path-integral formulation of perturbative string theory. In this article, we review recent progress in the string world-sheet path-integral formulation, especially in the Minkowski signature. We first derive the Minkowskian path integral of the Nambu-Goto type equivalent to Polyakov's Euclidean path integral for critical closed string theory, showing equivalences among the Nambu-Goto-, Schild- and Polyakov-type formulations both in the Minkowskian and Euclidean signatures. We also show that ``stringy causality'' is realised in the path-integral formulation at the level of string perturbation theory. We then obtain the matrix model with a property like the stringy causality, which turns out to be a Minkowskian version of the NBI-type IKKT matrix model, by matrix regularisation of the path integral for perturbative type IIB string theory.
title Path integral for the closed superstring and the matrix model
topic High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.25052