Classical and Quantum D-branes in 2D String Theory

Abstract

We investigate two classes of D-branes in 2-d string theory, corresponding to extended and localized branes, respectively. We compute the string emission during tachyon condensation and reinterpret the results within the $c=1$ matrix model. As in hep-th/0304224, we find that the extended branes describe classical eigenvalue trajectories, while, as found in hep-th/0305159, the localized branes correspond to the quantum field that creates and destroys eigenvalues. The matrix model relation between the classical probe and the local collective field precisely matches with the descent relation between the boundary states of D-strings and D-particles.