Open-Closed String Field Theory in the Large $N$ Limit

Abstract

We use the new nilpotent formulation of open-closed string field theory to explore the limit where the number $N$ of identical D-branes of the starting background is large. By reformulating the theory in terms of the 't Hooft coupling $\lambda=\kappa N$, where $\kappa$ is the string coupling constant, we explicitly see that at large $N$ only genus zero vertices with arbitrary number of boundaries survive. After discussing the homotopy structure of the obtained large $N$ open-closed theory we discuss the possibility of integrating out the open string sector with a quantum but planar homotopy transfer. As a result we end up with a classical closed string field theory described by a weak $L_\infty$-algebra, containing a tree-level tadpole which, to first order in $\lambda$, is given by the initial boundary state. We discuss the possibility of removing the tadpole with a closed string vacuum shift solution, to end up with a new classical closed string background, where the initial D-branes have been turned into pure closed-string backreaction.