TeV-Scale strings

Abstract

This article discusses the status of string physics where the string tension is around the TeV scale. The article covers model building basics for perturbative strings, based on D-brane configurations. The effective low energy physics description of such string constructions is analyzed: how anomaly cancellation is implemented, how fast proton decay is avoided and how D-brane models lead to additional $Z'$ particles. This review also discusses direct search bounds for strings at the TeV scale, as well as theoretical issues with model building related to flavor physics and axions.