Type IIB superstring theory ($\mathcal{N}=(2,0)\text{ in ten dimensions}$)

A closed superstring theory whose left and right Ramond projections have the same ten-dimensional chirality. It has 32 real supercharges and is chiral. Its low-energy fields form type IIB supergravity. Circle T-duality exchanges this theory with type IIA superstring theory.

The NS-NS fields are a graviton, Kalb–Ramond field and dilaton, with $35+28+1$ physical polarizations. The RR fields are $C_0,C_2,C_4$, with $1+28+35$ polarizations; the five-form field strength of $C_4$ is self-dual. Two same-chirality Majorana-Weyl gravitini contribute $112$ polarizations, and two Majorana-Weyl dilatini of the opposite chirality contribute $16$. Potential components, dual potentials and physical polarizations are different counts.

The IIB five-brane doublet combines NS5-brane and Ramond–Ramond five-brane charges. Its toroidal M-description involves wrapped M5-branes or Kaluza-Klein monopoles, depending on whether the IIB circle lies along or transverse to the five-brane. Electric–magnetic charge bases fix the order and signs of the integer labels.

A (p,q) string carries $p$ units of fundamental string charge and $q$ units of D1-brane charge. Coprime integers label an elementary primitive charge vector; nonprimitive vectors describe multiple units. The displayed tension uses the string metric and vanishing axion. In the M-theory torus duality, it comes from an M2-brane wrapped on the corresponding primitive one-cycle.

At a junction of (p,q) strings, their oriented charge vectors sum to zero. A static junction also balances the tension vectors. Supersymmetry further correlates spatial directions with charge phases so that the arms share kappa symmetry projectors. Additional independent conditions reduce the common Killing spinor space; an aligned dyonic string alone does not reduce its fraction relative to an aligned fundamental string.

// Target: geometry-and-topology.bigb

The complex scalar combines the IIB axion and dilaton. Its imaginary part is $1/g_s$ for a constant background. S-duality acts by fractional linear transformations, corresponding to changes of torus basis in the M-theory torus duality.