The string partition function in Hull's doubled formalism

Abstract

T-duality is one of the essential elements of string theory. Recently, Hull has developed a formalism where the dimension of the target space is doubled so as to make T-duality manifest. This is then supplemented with a constraint equation that allows the connection to the usual string sigma model. This paper analyses the partition function of the doubled formalism by interpreting the constraint equation as that of a chiral scalar and then using holomorphic factorisation techniques to determine the partition function. We find there is quantum equivalence to the ordinary string once the topological interaction term is included.