The physical states of the Hybrid Formalism

Abstract: String theory on ${\rm AdS}_3\times {\rm S}^3 \times\mathbb{T}^4$ with one unit ($k=1$) of NS-NS flux is considered in the hybrid formalism of Berkovits, Vafa & Witten (BVW). Using the free field realisation of the world-sheet theory at $k=1$, we identify explicitly the BRST cohomology classes corresponding to some of the low-lying states of the dual CFT. In particular, we do this for the ${\cal N}=4$ superconformal generators of the symmetric orbifold theory, and we confirm these identifications by showing that the worldsheet correlators reproduce the expected dual CFT answer. Along the way we note that the physical vertex operators on the worldsheet have a simpler form if one works with a different, but equivalent, choice for the BRST operators relative to BVW.