OPEN SUPERSTRING PARTITION-FUNCTION IN A CONSTANT GAUGE FIELD BACKGROUND AT FINITE-TEMPERATURE

We find the general expression for the open superstring partition func tion on the annulus in a constant abelian gauge field background and a t finite temperature. We use the approach based on the Green-Schwarz s tring path integral in the light-cone gauge and compare it with the NS R approach. We discuss the super Yang-Mills theory limit of the string free energy and mention some D-brane applications. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.