On background-independent open-string field theory.

A framework for background independent open-string field theory is proposed. The approach involves using the BV formalism – in a way suggested by recent developments in closed-string field theory – to implicitly define a gauge invariant Lagrangian in a hypothetical “space of all open-string world-sheet theories.” It is built into the formalism that classical solutions of the string field theory are BRST invariant open-string world-sheet theories and that, when expanding around a classical solution, the infinitesimal gauge transformations are generated by the world-sheet BRST operator. ⋆ Research supported in part by NSF Grant PHY91-06210.