Knot contact homology, string topology, and the cord algebra

The conormal Lagrangian $L_K$ of a knot $K$ in $\mathbb{R}^3$ is the submanifold of the cotangent bundle $T^* \mathbb{R}^3$ consisting of covectors along $K$ that annihilate tangent vectors to $K$. By intersecting with the unit cotangent bundle $S^* \mathbb{R}^3$, one obtains the unit conormal $\Lambda_K$, and the Legendrian contact homology of $\Lambda_K$ is a knot invariant of $K$, known as knot contact homology. We define a version of string topology for strings in $\mathbb{R}^3 \cup L_K$ and prove that this is isomorphic in degree 0 to knot contact homology. The string topology perspective gives a topological derivation of the cord algebra (also isomorphic to degree 0 knot contact homology) and relates it to the knot group. Together with the isomorphism this gives a new proof that knot contact homology detects the unknot. Our techniques involve a detailed analysis of certain moduli spaces of holomorphic disks in $T^* \mathbb{R}^3$ with boundary on $\mathbb{R}^3 \cup L_K$.