Exotic Universal Solutions in Cubic Superstring Field Theory

Abstract

We present a class of analytic solutions of cubic superstring field theory in the universal sector on a non-BPS D-brane. Computation of the action and gauge invariant overlap reveal that the solutions carry half the tension of a non-BPS D-brane. However, the solutions do not satisfy the reality condition. In fact, they display an intriguing topological structure: We find evidence that conjugation of the solutions is equivalent to a gauge transformation that cannot be continuously deformed to the identity.

53 pages, 6 figures. Added appendix on splitting charges and midpoint insertions. Improved presentation of the topological structure of the solutions. Version accepted at JHEP