Wilson Loops in Open String Theory

Abstract: Wilson loop elements on torus are introduced into the partition function of open strings as Polyakov's path integral at one-loop level. Mass spectra from compactification and expected symmetry breaking are illustrated by choosing the correct weight for the contributions from annulus and M\"obius strip. We show that Jacobi's imaginary transformation connects the mass spectra with the Wilson loops. The application to thermopartition function and cosmological implications are briefly discussed.