Flux Stabilization of D-branes
Preprint
- 7 March 2000
Abstract
We explain how D-branes on group manifolds are stabilized against shrinking by quantized worldvolume U(1) fluxes. Starting from the Born-Infeld action in the case of the SU(2) group manifold we derive the masses, multiplicities and spectrum of small fluctuations of these branes, and show that they agree exactly with the predictions of conformal field theory, to all orders in the $\alpha^\prime$ expansion. We discuss the generalization to other groups and comment on an apparent paradox: why are the `RR charges' of these branes not quantized?