Este trabalho tem o objetivo de rever a obtenção das soluções do tipo brana em supergravidade e contém uma dedução detalhada das soluções extrema e negra. A fim de motivar algumas escolhas feitas ao longo do cálculo, o trabalho inclui uma breve revisão dos conceitos advindos da teoria de cordas e supersimetria. Esta revisão nos permitirá ainda relacionar as soluções da supergravidade com as branas da teoria de cordas e tecer considerações sobre o papel desta relação na dualidade entre teoria de calibre e gravitação. / This work intends to review the brane solutions of supergravity and contains a datailed deduction of the extremal and black solutions. In order to provide some motivations to the choices through the calculation, this work includes a brief review of some concepts from string theory and supersymmetry. This review will enable us to relate the supergravity solutions to string theory\'s branes and to make considerations about the role of this relationship in the duality between gauge and gravity theories.

This thesis is based on two papers by the author and consists of two parts. We review the recent developments in the theory of multiple M2-branes and 3-algebras leading to multiple D2-brane theories. The inclusion of flux terms for the supersymmetric BLG and ABJM theories of closed M2-branes is discussed and then generalised to open M2-branes. Here the boundary condition is derived and different BPS configurations are examined where we find a mass deformed Basu-Harvey equation for the M2-M5 system. The Lorentzian 3-algebra is then employed for obtaining a theory of D2-branes in a flux background, we then obtain the new fuzzy funnel solution of the system of D2-D4 branes in a flux. Matrix theories and their compactifications as well as noncommutative geometry and noncommutative gauge theories are reviewed with a discussion of their generalisations to three dimensions to be used to describe the M-theory three form potential. A new feature of string theory is then obtained called the quantum Nambu geometry (QNG). It is found by considering the action for D1-strings in a RR flux background and we demonstrate that there is a large flux double scaling limit where the action is dominated by a Chern-Simons-Myers coupling term. A classical solution to this is the quantised spacetime known as the quantum Nambu geometry. Various matrix models are obtained from this action, these are the large flux dominated terms of the full actions for the corresponding matrix models. The QNG gives rise to an expansion of D1-strings to D4-branes in the IIA theory, so we obtain an action for the large flux terms for this action which is verified by a dimensional reduction of the PST action describing M5-branes. We make a generalisation of the D4-brane action to describe M5-branes using a duality. We are describing the 3-form self-dual field strength of a non-abelian generalisation of the PST action.

In this thesis, we explain and illustrate on several examples how to derive supergravity solutions by computing observables in the corresponding dual, lower-dimensional field theory.<p>In particular, no a priori knowledge on the gravitational dual is assumed, including its dimensionality. The basic idea to construct the pre-geometric models is to consider the world-volume theory of probe D-branes in the presence of a large number N of higher-dimensional background branes. In the standard decoupling limit, the probes are moving only in the flat directions parallel to the background D-branes. We show however that the quantum effective action of the probe world-volume theory, obtained at large $N$ using standard vector model techniques, has the required field content to be interpreted as the action describing the probes in a higher-dimensional, curved and classical spacetime. The properties of the emerging supergravity solution are easily found by comparing the quantum effective action of the pre-geometric model with the non-abelian D-brane action. In all the examples we consider, this allows us to derive the metric, the dilaton and various form fields, overall performing exclusively field theoretic computations.<p><p>The first part of the thesis consists of introductory chapters, where we review vector models at large N, aspects of brane physics in supergravity and string theory and the gauge/gravity correspondence. The second part contains the original contributions of this thesis, consisting of various explicit emergent geometry examples.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

In this thesis we employ string perturbation theory in toroidal orbifold models to study aspects of supersymmetry breaking in type IIB string theory. First, we determine the dependence of physical Yukawa couplings on blow-up moduli in models with D3-branes at orbifold singularities. Blow-up moduli are scalar fields describing the size of small blow-up cycles in the compactification geometry. In models implementing moduli stabilisation these fields can acquire F-terms and break supersymmetry. We examine the moduli-dependence of physical Yukawa couplings at string tree-level by computing disk correlation functions involving a Yukawa interaction of visible sector fields and an arbitrary number of blow-up moduli. We perform the calculation for one blow-up insertion explicitly and find that the correlation function vanishes if the blow-up modulus is associated with a small cycle distant to the visible sector. For more than one blow-up insertion we show that all such correlation functions are exponentially suppressed by the compactification volume. We explain how these results are relevant to suppressing soft terms to scales parametrically below the gravitino mass. Further, we determine corrections to holomorphic Yukawa couplings on D3-branes at an orbifold singularity due to non-perturbative effects such as gaugino condensation on a stack of D7-branes. This can be done by calculating a one-loop threshold correction to the gauge coupling on the D7-branes. We show that, if present, the new contributions to Yukawa couplings are not aligned with the tree-level couplings. As the new Yukawa couplings contribute to soft A-terms they are sources of flavour-changing neutral currents. Last we discuss an effect unrelated to supersymmetry breaking. We show that orbifold models with D3-branes at orbifold singularities can exhibit kinetic mixing of different massless Abelian factors. For this to be possible, the relevant U(1) factors have to be associated with more than one orbifold singularity.

Der Gegenstand dieser Arbeit ist Bestandteil der Stringtheorie und betrifft insbesondere die geometrischen Aspekte der Realisierung von Eichtheorien innerhalb der Stringtheorie. Wir studieren die Eichtheorie von D3-Branes an verallgemeinerten Singularitaeten wie der Orbifold- oder Conifold-Singularitaet. Die Einfuehrung der sogenannten Branediamanten fuehrt auf ein konsistentes Bild. Fuer diese Klasse von Modellen wird die Wirkung der Mirrorsymmetrie diskutiert. Im zweiten Teil untersuchen wir die Feldtheorie der M5-Brane auf der Grundlage des Supereinbettungsformalismus. Das Hauptresultat dieses Kapitels ist eine explizite Identifikation der selbstdualen 3-Form mit den Parametern der komplexen Struktur des Einbettungsraumes. Das heuristische Material, das in den vorangegangenen Kapiteln angesammelt wurde, weist darauf hin, dass die Informationen, die ein supersymmetrischer 3-Zykel enthaelt, zumindest teilweise auf supersymmetrische 2-Zykel zurueckgefuehrt werden koennen. Daher studieren wir den Fall von Brane-Boxen, die durch Ueberlagerung von gewoehnlichen N=2 Systemen aus D4 und NS5-Branes gewonnen werden koennen. Diese Konfigurationen erfuellen die Bedingung des `uniform bending' und der Lift auf einen supersymmetrischen 3-Zykel kann explizit ausgefuehrt werden. Im letzten Teil konstruieren wir eine neue superkonforme N=1 Eichtheorie, die aus einer Massendeformation der N=4 SYM entsteht und eine duale Supergravitationsbeschreibung durch die AdS/CFT-Korrespondenz besitzt. / The subject of this work is part of the theory of strings and in particular concerned with geometrical aspects of the realization of gauge theory within string theory. In particular we study the gauge theory of D3-branes at generalised singularities like orbifolds and the orbifolded conifold singularities. The introduction of the so called diamonds leads to a consistent picture. The action of mirror symmetry for this class of models is discussed. In a second part the field theory of the M5-brane will be investigated on the basis of the superembedding approach. The main result here will be a rather explicit identification of the self dual three form field with the parameters of the complex structure of the embedding space. The heuristic material collected from the previous chapters states that the information contained in supersymmetric 3-cycles can be partially extracted from supersymmetric 2-cycles. Thus we study the case of brane boxes, which can be obtained by sewing together usual N=2 setups of D4 and NS5-branes. These systems satisfy the condition of uniform bending and the lift to a supersymmetric 3-cycle can be performed explicitly. In the last part a new superconformal N=1 gauge theories will be constructed which arise as certain deformations of N=4 SYM and have a dual description due to the AdS/CFT correspondence.

<p>This thesis deals with different aspects of string and /p/-brane theories. One of the motivations for string theory is to unify the forces in nature and produce a quantum theory of gravity. /p/-branes and related objects arise in string theory and are related to a non-perturbative definition of the theory. The results of this thesis might help in understanding string theory better. The first part of the thesis introduces and discusses relevant topics for the second part of the thesis which consists of five papers.</p><p>In the three first papers we develop and treat a perturbative approach to relativistic /p/-branes around stretched geometries. The unperturbed theory is described by a string- or particle-like theory. The theory is solved, within perturbation theory, by constructing successive canonical transformations which map the theory to the unperturbed one order by order. The result is used to define a quantum theory which requires for consistency d = 25 + p dimensions for the bosonic /p/-branes and d = 11 for the supermembrane. This is one of the first quantum results for extended objects beyond string theory and is a confirmation of the expectation of an eleven-dimensional quantum membrane.</p><p>The two last papers deal with a gauged WZNW-approach to strings moving on non-trivial space-times. The groups used in the formulation of these models are connected to Hermitian symmetric spaces of non-compact type. We have found that the GKO-construction does not yield a unitary spectrum. We will show that there exists, however, a different approach, the BRST approach, which gives unitarity under certain conditions. This is the first example of a difference between the GKO- and BRST construction. This is one of the first proofs of unitarity of a string theory in a non-trivial non-compact space-time. Furthermore, new critical string theories in dimensions less then 26 or 10 is found for the bosonic and supersymmetric string, respectively.</p>

This thesis deals with different aspects of string and /p/-brane theories. One of the motivations for string theory is to unify the forces in nature and produce a quantum theory of gravity. /p/-branes and related objects arise in string theory and are related to a non-perturbative definition of the theory. The results of this thesis might help in understanding string theory better. The first part of the thesis introduces and discusses relevant topics for the second part of the thesis which consists of five papers. In the three first papers we develop and treat a perturbative approach to relativistic /p/-branes around stretched geometries. The unperturbed theory is described by a string- or particle-like theory. The theory is solved, within perturbation theory, by constructing successive canonical transformations which map the theory to the unperturbed one order by order. The result is used to define a quantum theory which requires for consistency d = 25 + p dimensions for the bosonic /p/-branes and d = 11 for the supermembrane. This is one of the first quantum results for extended objects beyond string theory and is a confirmation of the expectation of an eleven-dimensional quantum membrane. The two last papers deal with a gauged WZNW-approach to strings moving on non-trivial space-times. The groups used in the formulation of these models are connected to Hermitian symmetric spaces of non-compact type. We have found that the GKO-construction does not yield a unitary spectrum. We will show that there exists, however, a different approach, the BRST approach, which gives unitarity under certain conditions. This is the first example of a difference between the GKO- and BRST construction. This is one of the first proofs of unitarity of a string theory in a non-trivial non-compact space-time. Furthermore, new critical string theories in dimensions less then 26 or 10 is found for the bosonic and supersymmetric string, respectively.

SILVA, José Euclides Gomes da. Brane resolution em conifold com torção. 2010. 120 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Física) - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Física, Departamento de Física, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 2010. / Submitted by francisco lima (admir@ufc.br) on 2014-03-20T14:00:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2010_dis_jegdasilva.pdf: 606336 bytes, checksum: 7d1080495b039a4501073a2c1711042a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Edvander Pires(edvanderpires@gmail.com) on 2014-05-16T21:06:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2010_dis_jegdasilva.pdf: 606336 bytes, checksum: 7d1080495b039a4501073a2c1711042a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-16T21:06:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2010_dis_jegdasilva.pdf: 606336 bytes, checksum: 7d1080495b039a4501073a2c1711042a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / We will study a technique for smoothing a naked singularity in a conifold called Brane Resolution On the one hand the singularity appears as a brane solution of supergravity containing only terms of sector Neveu-Schwarz On the other hand we can see the singularity of the conifold as coming from a fixed point of the discrete symmetry group responsible for generating the conifold The conifold is of most importance in the process of compactification in string theories in particular in so-called conical transitions In fact there are different kinds Calabi-Yau varieties that can be built Despite such spaces have distint topological characteristics it can become a space on the other transitions through conical transitions This is done through the generation of singularities in Calabi-Yau that surprisingly does not generate quantum problems. The technique consists of adding a topological term sector Ramond-Ramond action to the inclusion of a Chern-Simons term responsible for interaction between the fields of the Ramond-Ramond sector (Cn), generates a flow field and H3 = DB2 F3 = DC2 on the singularity of the conifold. From the equation of motion of the field and an appropriate choice for the configuration of the metric and fields find the warp factors that are responsible for the removal of the singularity method can also be understood topologically as the incision of a sphere in the vicinity of the place node of the cone The behavior of fields on the conifold is done in order to extend the correspondence AdS-CFT correspondence was originally proposed for the space AdS5 × S 5 but soon emerged as extensions using other varieties M4 × C6 Near the natural perity space can be written as AdS5 5 × X 5 where X is the base of the conifold space usually takes up the space base as a homogeneous space of Ricci-flat Einstein where X = 5 SU (3) / SU (2) × SU (2). However, to maintain conformal invariance of the theory of dual fields is necessary to soften the conifold through incisions of the Eguchi-Hanson type that can be of two types: a 3-sphere S 3 is called deformation or by a 2-sphere S 2 is called resolution Recently it has been proposed resolutions conifold in a scenario of heterotic theory endowed with torsion Such an effect is relevant in theories where the black hole type solutions exist in the internal variety as the branes and spinning black branes latter takes into account the black hole's angular momentum - spin - and it is a solution of Kerr From the transgression of the Bianchi identity for the 3-form field strength of the Kalb-Ramond term derived from a Gauss-Bonnet and instanton can introduce a twist and hence a new term not dependent on the connection meter. We will study the effects of such terms on conifold a smoothing compared with the case without torsion Furthermore we study the effect that another term has topological branes on the resolution of the term BF This term originated as an extension of the Chern-Simons term to four dimensions with topologically generate mass function as gauge fields for this work, we modify the action of the heterotic theory in order to obtain the term BF as one of the terms fault and then responsible for the flow that removes the singularity found for an ansatz well known a configuration where the flow generated by the BF term is responsible for resolution / Estudaremos uma técnica de suavização de uma singularidade nua em um conifold chamada Brane Resolution Por um lado a singularidade aparece como uma solução de brana de supergravidade contendo apenas termos do setor de Neveu-Schwarz Por outro lado podemos ver a singularidade do conifold como oriunda de um ponto fixo do grupo de simetria discreto responsável pela geração do conifold O conifold tem bastante importância no processo de compactificação em teorias de cordas em particular nas chamadas transições cônicas De fato existem diferentes tipos de espaços deCalabi-Yau que podem ser variedades internas Apesar de tais espaços terem características to- pológicas distintas pode-se transformar um espaço no outro através das transições cônicas Isso se faz através da geração de singularidades no espaço de Calabi-Yau que surpreendentemente não gera problemas quânticos. A técnica consiste em acrescentar um termo topológico do setor de Ramond-Ramond à ação A inclusão de um termo de Chern-Simons responsável pela interação entre os campos do setor de Ramond-Ramond (Cn ), gera um fluxo dos campos H3 = dB2 e F3 = dC2 sobre a singularidade do conifold. A partir da equação de movimento do campo pode-se, dado uma escolha adequada para a configuração da métrica e dos campos, encontrar os fatores de warp que são responsáveis pela retirada da singularidade O método também pode ser entendido topologicamente como a incisão de uma esfera no lugar da vizinhança do nodo do cone O estudo do comportamento de campos sobre o conifold é feito no intuito de extender a correspondência AdS-CFT originalmente a correspondência foi proposta para o espaço AdS5 ×S 5 mas logo surgiram extensões utilizando outras variedades como M4 × C6 Próximo a singula- ridade o espaço pode ser escrito como AdS5 × X 5 onde X 5 é o espaço base do conifold Geralmente toma-se o espaço base como um espaço homogêneo de Einstein Ricci-plana onde X 5 = SU (3)/SU (2) × SU (2). Contudo, para manter a invariância conforme da teoria de campos dual é necessário suavizar o conifold através de incisões do tipo Eguchi-Hanson que podem ser de dois tipos: por uma 3-esfera S 3 é chamada deformation ou por uma 2-esfera S 2 é chamada resolution Recentemente foram propostas resoluções do conifold em um cenário de teoria heterótica dotada de torção Tal efeito é relevante em teorias onde soluções do tipo buraco negro existem na variedade interna como as black branes e spinning branes esta última leva em conta o momento angular do buraco negro - spin - e é uma solução do tipo Kerr A partir da transgressão da identidade de Bianchi para a 3-forma intensidade de campo de Kalb-Ramond oriundo de um termo de Gauss-Bonnet e de instanton podemos introduzir uma torção e com isso um novo termo na conexão não dependente da métrica. Estudaremos os efeitos de tais termos sobre a suavização de um conifold comparando com o caso sem torção Além disso buscamos estudar o efeito que um outro termo topológico tem sobre a resolução de branas o termo BF Tal termo surgiu como uma extensão do termo de Chern-Simons para quatro dimensões tendo como função gerar massa topologicamente para campos de calibre Nesse trabalho iremos modificar a ação da teoria heterótica de modo a obtermos o termo BF como um dos termos de anomalia e logo responsável pelo fluxo que retira a singularidade Encontramos para um ansatz bastante conhecido uma configuração onde o fluxo gerado pelo termo BF é o responsável pela desingularização do espaço

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / Estudaremos uma tÃcnica de suavizaÃÃo de uma singularidade nua em um conifold chamada Brane Resolution Por um lado a singularidade aparece como uma soluÃÃo de brana de supergravidade contendo apenas termos do setor de Neveu-Schwarz Por outro lado podemos ver a singularidade do conifold como oriunda de um ponto fixo do grupo de simetria discreto responsÃvel pela geraÃÃo do conifold O conifold tem bastante importÃncia no processo de compactificaÃÃo em teorias de cordas em particular nas chamadas transiÃÃes cÃnicas De fato existem diferentes tipos de espaÃos deCalabi-Yau que podem ser variedades internas Apesar de tais espaÃos terem caracterÃsticas to- polÃgicas distintas pode-se transformar um espaÃo no outro atravÃs das transiÃÃes cÃnicas Isso se faz atravÃs da geraÃÃo de singularidades no espaÃo de Calabi-Yau que surpreendentemente nÃo gera problemas quÃnticos. A tÃcnica consiste em acrescentar um termo topolÃgico do setor de Ramond-Ramond à aÃÃo A inclusÃo de um termo de Chern-Simons responsÃvel pela interaÃÃo entre os campos do setor de Ramond-Ramond (Cn ), gera um fluxo dos campos H3 = dB2 e F3 = dC2 sobre a singularidade do conifold. A partir da equaÃÃo de movimento do campo pode-se, dado uma escolha adequada para a configuraÃÃo da mÃtrica e dos campos, encontrar os fatores de warp que sÃo responsÃveis pela retirada da singularidade O mÃtodo tambÃm pode ser entendido topologicamente como a incisÃo de uma esfera no lugar da vizinhanÃa do nodo do cone O estudo do comportamento de campos sobre o conifold à feito no intuito de extender a correspondÃncia AdS-CFT originalmente a correspondÃncia foi proposta para o espaÃo AdS5 ÃS 5 mas logo surgiram extensÃes utilizando outras variedades como M4 à C6 PrÃximo a singula- ridade o espaÃo pode ser escrito como AdS5 à X 5 onde X 5 à o espaÃo base do conifold Geralmente toma-se o espaÃo base como um espaÃo homogÃneo de Einstein Ricci-plana onde X 5 = SU (3)/SU (2) à SU (2). Contudo, para manter a invariÃncia conforme da teoria de campos dual à necessÃrio suavizar o conifold atravÃs de incisÃes do tipo Eguchi-Hanson que podem ser de dois tipos: por uma 3-esfera S 3 à chamada deformation ou por uma 2-esfera S 2 à chamada resolution Recentemente foram propostas resoluÃÃes do conifold em um cenÃrio de teoria heterÃtica dotada de torÃÃo Tal efeito à relevante em teorias onde soluÃÃes do tipo buraco negro existem na variedade interna como as black branes e spinning branes esta Ãltima leva em conta o momento angular do buraco negro - spin - e à uma soluÃÃo do tipo Kerr A partir da transgressÃo da identidade de Bianchi para a 3-forma intensidade de campo de Kalb-Ramond oriundo de um termo de Gauss-Bonnet e de instanton podemos introduzir uma torÃÃo e com isso um novo termo na conexÃo nÃo dependente da mÃtrica. Estudaremos os efeitos de tais termos sobre a suavizaÃÃo de um conifold comparando com o caso sem torÃÃo AlÃm disso buscamos estudar o efeito que um outro termo topolÃgico tem sobre a resoluÃÃo de branas o termo BF Tal termo surgiu como uma extensÃo do termo de Chern-Simons para quatro dimensÃes tendo como funÃÃo gerar massa topologicamente para campos de calibre Nesse trabalho iremos modificar a aÃÃo da teoria heterÃtica de modo a obtermos o termo BF como um dos termos de anomalia e logo responsÃvel pelo fluxo que retira a singularidade Encontramos para um ansatz bastante conhecido uma configuraÃÃo onde o fluxo gerado pelo termo BF à o responsÃvel pela desingularizaÃÃo do espaÃo / We will study a technique for smoothing a naked singularity in a conifold called Brane Resolution On the one hand the singularity appears as a brane solution of supergravity containing only terms of sector Neveu-Schwarz On the other hand we can see the singularity of the conifold as coming from a fixed point of the discrete symmetry group responsible for generating the conifold The conifold is of most importance in the process of compactification in string theories in particular in so-called conical transitions In fact there are different kinds Calabi-Yau varieties that can be built Despite such spaces have distint topological characteristics it can become a space on the other transitions through conical transitions This is done through the generation of singularities in Calabi-Yau that surprisingly does not generate quantum problems. The technique consists of adding a topological term sector Ramond-Ramond action to the inclusion of a Chern-Simons term responsible for interaction between the fields of the Ramond-Ramond sector (Cn), generates a flow field and H3 = DB2 F3 = DC2 on the singularity of the conifold. From the equation of motion of the field and an appropriate choice for the configuration of the metric and fields find the warp factors that are responsible for the removal of the singularity method can also be understood topologically as the incision of a sphere in the vicinity of the place node of the cone The behavior of fields on the conifold is done in order to extend the correspondence AdS-CFT correspondence was originally proposed for the space AdS5 à S 5 but soon emerged as extensions using other varieties M4 à C6 Near the natural perity space can be written as AdS5 5 à X 5 where X is the base of the conifold space usually takes up the space base as a homogeneous space of Ricci-flat Einstein where X = 5 SU (3) / SU (2) à SU (2). However, to maintain conformal invariance of the theory of dual fields is necessary to soften the conifold through incisions of the Eguchi-Hanson type that can be of two types: a 3-sphere S 3 is called deformation or by a 2-sphere S 2 is called resolution Recently it has been proposed resolutions conifold in a scenario of heterotic theory endowed with torsion Such an effect is relevant in theories where the black hole type solutions exist in the internal variety as the branes and spinning black branes latter takes into account the black hole's angular momentum - spin - and it is a solution of Kerr From the transgression of the Bianchi identity for the 3-form field strength of the Kalb-Ramond term derived from a Gauss-Bonnet and instanton can introduce a twist and hence a new term not dependent on the connection meter. We will study the effects of such terms on conifold a smoothing compared with the case without torsion Furthermore we study the effect that another term has topological branes on the resolution of the term BF This term originated as an extension of the Chern-Simons term to four dimensions with topologically generate mass function as gauge fields for this work, we modify the action of the heterotic theory in order to obtain the term BF as one of the terms fault and then responsible for the flow that removes the singularity found for an ansatz well known a configuration where the flow generated by the BF term is responsible for resolution

The gauge/string correspondence provides a non-perturbative definition of string theory and hence quantum gravity in some backgrounds, making it possible to translate statements about strongly coupled quantum field theories into results about gravity. <p><p>In this thesis, we focus on the derivation of holographic backgrounds from the field theory, without using any supergravity input. Instead, we rely crucially on the addition of probe D-branes to the stack of D-branes generating the background.<p>From the field theory description of the probe branes in the presence of the background branes, one can compute an effective action for the probes (in a suitable low-energy/near-horizon limit) by integrating out the background branes. Comparing this action with the D-brane probe action in a generic supergravity background then allows to determine the holographic background dual to the considered field theory vacuum.<p><p>In the first part, the required pre-requisites of field and string theory are recalled and this strategy to derive holographic backgrounds is explained in more detail on the basic case of D3-branes in flat space probed by a small number of D-instantons.<p><p>The second part contains the original results of this thesis, obtained by applying this strategy to several specific examples. We first derive the duals to three continuous deformations (Coulomb branch, β and non-commutative deformations) of the basic case, in the limit in which the D-instantons can probe the full geometry. We then derive the enhançon mechanism in a dual to a simple N=2 quiver gauge theory by using a fractional D-instanton as a probe and exploiting recent exact results on the Coulomb branch of N=2 quivers.<p>Finally, we obtain the near-horizon D4-brane geometry by probing the D4-branes with a small number of D0-branes.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished