Neumann Casimir effect: A singular boundary-interaction approach

Dirichlet boundary conditions on a surface can be imposed on a scalar field, by coupling it quadratically to a δ-like potential, the strength of which tends to infinity. Neumann conditions, on the other hand, require the introduction of an even more singular term, which renders the reflection and transmission coefficients ill-defined because of UV divergences. We present a possible procedure to tame those divergences, by introducing a minimum length scale, related to the nonzero ‘width’ of a nonlocal term. We then use this setup to reach (either exact or imperfect) Neumann conditions, by taking the appropriate limits. After defining meaningful reflection coefficients, we calculate the Casimir energies for flat parallel mirrors, presenting also the extension of the procedure to the case of arbitrary surfaces. Finally, we discuss briefly how to generalize the worldline approach to the nonlocal case, what is potentially useful in order to compute Casimir energies in theories containing nonlocal potentials; in particular, those which we use to reproduce Neumann boundary conditions.     

Pressure of the fluctuating vacuum: Interpretation of the attractive and repulsive Casimir force

We calculate the Casimir force between two magnetodielectric slabs. The force expression is expressed in terms of parameters with which the repulsive effect is more transparent and convenient for numerical analysis. Finally, we propose a physical interpretation of the effect which clarifies the sign of force properly.     

Casimir Vacuum Energy and the Semiclassical Electron

In 1953 Casimir proposed a semiclassical model for the electron based on the concept that net inward radiation pressure from the electromagnetic vacuum fluctuation fields (as in the Casimir effect, generally) might play the role of Poincare stresses, compensating outward coulomb pressure to yield a stable configuration at small dimensions. Given that in scattering experiments the electron appears point-like, critical to the success of the proposed model is demonstration that the self-energy corresponding to the divergent coulomb field does not contribute to the electron mass. Here we develop a self-consistent, vacuum-fluctuation-based model that satisfies this requirement and thereby resolves the issue of what would otherwise appear to be an incompatibility between a point-like electron and finite mass.     

On the Casimir energy for a massive quantum scalar field and the cosmological constant

We present a rigorous, regularization-independent local quantum field theoretic treatment of the Casimir effect for a quantum scalar field of mass μ≠0 which yields closed form expressions for the energy density and pressure. As an application we show that there exist special states of the quantum field in which the expectation value of the renormalized energy–momentum tensor is, for any fixed time, independent of the space coordinate and of the perfect fluid form g_μ,νρ with ρ>0, thus providing a concrete quantum field theoretic model of the cosmological constant. This ρ represents the energy density associated to a state consisting of the vacuum and a certain number of excitations of zero momentum, i.e., the constituents correspond to lowest energy and pressure p0.     

Casimir effect modified surface energy of a nanocavity in homogeneous media

We determine the regularized van der Waals contribution to pressure within a spherical cavity of vapor in a homogeneous, isotropic, infinite medium. The spherical Hamaker function, , has been defined, for the first time, in contrast to the conventional Hamaker function for planar surfaces, . For the materials under consideration, the pressure inside the cavity varies as , where a is the radius of the cavity. For radii below a transition radius, the surface energy (or surface tension) becomes size dependent and could have important implications for homogeneous nucleation of nanosized bubbles in liquids, as well as cavitation of bubbles.

     

Casimir energy and brane stability

We investigate the role of Casimir energy as a mechanism for brane stability in five-dimensional models with the fifth dimension compactified on an S¹/_Z2$S^1/{\mathbb{Z}}_2$ orbifold, which includes the Randall–Sundrum two brane model (RS1). We employ a ζ$\zeta$-function regularization technique utilizing the Schwinger proper time method and the Jacobi theta function identity to calculate the one-loop effective potential. We show that the combination of the Casimir energies of a scalar Higgs field, the three generations of Standard Model fermions and one additional massive non-SM scalar in the bulk produces a non-trivial minimum of the potential. In particular, we consider a scalar field with a coupling in the bulk to a Lorentz violating vector particle localized to the compactified dimension. Such a scalar may provide a natural means of fine tuning needed for stabilization of the brane separation. Finally, we briefly review the possibility that Casimir energy plays a role in generating the currently observed epoch of cosmological inflation by examining a simple five-dimensional anisotropic metric.     

The Casimir effect and the fine structure constant

We consider the electron as a charged sphere that completely absorbs any radiation with wave number less than somek _m . The Casimir effect then provides a self stress which can balance the mutual repulsion of the distinct parts of the finite charge distribution. From this equilibrium condition and connecting, by quantum arguments, the value ofk _m to the radius of the electron, we obtain a good estimate for the value of the fine-structure constant.     

Casimir效应的一个简明计算

电磁场的真空态具有无穷大的能量,这个无穷大能量不可直接观测,只在某些特殊情况下才表现出可观测的效应,其中之一便是Casimir效应,通常这个效应的计算是在量子场论中,按重正化的办法进行,这里给出一个更为简明的算法。     

The energy—momentum tensor, the trace identity and the Casimir effect

The trace identity associated with the scale transformation x^Μ → x′^Μ = e^-ρx^Μ on the Lagrangian density for the noninteracting electromagnetic field in the co-variant gauge is shown to be violated on a single plate on which the Dirichlet boundary conditionA ^Μ(t, x¹, x², x³ = -a) = 0 is imposed. It is however respected in free space, i.e. in the absence of the plate. These results reinforce our assertions in an earlier paper where the same exercise was carried out using the Lagrangian density for the free, massive, real scalar field in 2 + 1 dimensions.     

Maxwell-Chern-Simons Casimir Force in Different Limits

We discuss the Casimir force of Maxwell-Chern-Simons A belian gauge tield in different limits between twoparallel ideal conducting wires by using the Feynman path integral method.     

非平行导线型边界下Maxwell-Chern-Simons场的Casimir效应

在路径积分量子化框架下，利用复变函数论中的保角变换与Plana求和公式，计算了（2＋1）维空间中两个非平行导线型边界下Maxwell-Chern-Simons场的Casimir效应.不引入任何截断参数，而得出有限的解析表达式. 关键词： Casimir效应 路径积分 保角变换 Plana求和公式     

Maxwell-Chern-Simons Casimir Force in Different Limits

We discuss the Casimir force of Maxwell-Chern-Simons Abelian gauge field in different limits between two parallel ideal conducting wires by using the Feynman path integral method.     

Repulsive Casimir Force in a Cavity Comprising a Dielectric with Output Coupling

The Casimir force between a perfectly conducting wall and a dielectric wall in a cavity comprising a transparent dielectric with output coupling is investigated. By using full quantum theory, we obtain the analysis expression of the force, which shows that the interaction of the two walls in this system is always repulsive. And the value of the Casimir force varies with the field amplitude reflectivity and the cavity size.     

The Casimir effect for fields with arbitrary spin

The Casimir force arises when a quantum field is confined between objects that apply boundary conditions to it. In a recent paper we used the two-spinor calculus to derive boundary conditions applicable to fields with arbitrary spin in the presence of perfectly reflecting surfaces. Here we use these general boundary conditions to investigate the Casimir force between two parallel perfectly reflecting plates for fields up to spin-2. We use the two-spinor calculus formalism to present a unified calculation of well-known results for spin-1/2 (Dirac) and spin-1 (Maxwell) fields. We then use our unified framework to derive new results for the spin-3/2 and spin-2 fields, which turn out to be the same as those for spin-1/2 and spin-1. This is part of a broader conclusion that there are only two different Casimir forces for perfectly reflecting plates—one associated with fermions and the other with bosons.     

The correspondence between Casimir pressure and energy in one-dimensional field models

We propose a method of calculation of Casimir pressure using the Green function for one-dimensional case. This method yields the renormalized pressure if an external field is absent, otherwise it permits us to calculate the dependence of pressure at one boundary on the other boundary’s coordinate. The calculated pressure permits one to obtain the Casimir energy for the systems under consideration.     

Repulsive Casimir Force in a Cavity Comprising a Dielectric with Output Coupling

The Casimir force between a perfectly conducting wall and a dielectric wall in a cavity comprising a transparent dielectric with output coupling is investigated. By using full quantum theory, we obtain the analysis expression of the force, which shows that the interaction of the two walls in this system is always repulsive. And the value of the Casimir force varies with the field amplitude reflectivity and the cavity size.     

Measurability of vacuum fluctuations and dark energy

Vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field induce current fluctuations in resistively shunted Josephson junctions that are measurable in terms of a physically relevant power spectrum. In this paper we investigate under which conditions vacuum fluctuations can be gravitationally active, thus contributing to the dark energy density of the universe. Our central hypothesis is that vacuum fluctuations are gravitationally active if and only if they are measurable   in terms of a physical power spectrum in a suitable macroscopic or mesoscopic detector. This hypothesis is consistent with the observed dark energy density in the universe and offers a resolution of the cosmological constant problem. Using this hypothesis we show that the observable vacuum energy density _ρvac${\rho }_{\mathit{vac}}$ in the universe is related to the largest possible critical temperature _Tc$T_c$ of superconductors through _ρvac=σ·(_kTc)⁴/?³c³${\rho }_{\mathit{vac}}=\sigma ·({\mathit{kT}}_c{)}^4/{?}^3{c}^3$, where σ$\sigma$ is a small constant of the order 10^-3${10}^{-3}$. This relation can be regarded as an analog of the Stefan–Boltzmann law for dark energy. Our hypothesis is testable in Josephson junctions where we predict there should be a cutoff in the measured spectrum at 1.7 THz if the hypothesis is true.     

Critical Casimir amplitudes for n-component models with -symmetry breaking quadratic boundary terms

Euclidean n-component ⁴ theories whose Hamiltonians are O(n) symmetric except for quadratic symmetry breaking boundary terms are studied in the film geometry . The boundary terms imply the Robin boundary conditions at the boundary planes at z=0 and at z=L. Particular attention is paid to the cases in which m_j of the n variables associated with plane take the special value corresponding to critical enhancement while the remaining ones are larger and hence subcritically enhanced. Under these conditions, the semi-infinite system with boundary plane has a multicritical surface–bulk point, called m_j-special, at which an O(m_j) symmetric critical surface phase coexists with the O(n) symmetric bulk phase, provided d is sufficiently large. The L-dependent part of the reduced free energy per cross-section area behaves asymptotically as Δ_C/L^d−1 as L→∞ at the bulk critical point. The Casimir amplitudes Δ_C are determined for small =4−d in the general case where m_c,c components _α are critically enhanced at both boundary planes, m_c,D+m_D,c components are enhanced at one plane but satisfy asymptotic Dirichlet boundary conditions at the respective other, and the remaining m_D,D components satisfy asymptotic Dirichlet boundary conditions at both . Whenever m_c,c>0, the corresponding small- expansions involve, besides integer powers of , also fractional powers ^k/2 with k3 modulo powers of logarithms. Results to order ^3/2 are given for general values of m_c,c, m_c,D+m_D,c, and m_D,D. These are used to estimate the Casimir amplitudes Δ_C of the three-dimensional Heisenberg systems with surface spin anisotropies for the cases with (m_c,c,m_c,D+m_D,c)=(1,0), (0,1), and (1,1).     

On the equivalence of boundary conditions

We show that ifb andb are two boundary conditions (b.c.) for general spin systems on ^d such that the difference in the energies of a spin configuration in ^d is uniformly bounded, |H _,b ()–H _,b()|C < , then any infinite-volume Gibbs states and obtained with these b.c. have the same measure-zero sets. This implies that the decompositions of and into extremal Gibbs states are equivalent (mutually absolutely continuous). In particular, if is extremal,=. Application of this observation yields in an easy way (among other things) (a) the uniqueness of the Gibbs states for one-dimensional systems with forces that are not too long-range; (b) the fact that various b.c. that are natural candidates for producing non-translation-invariant Gibbs states cannot lead to such an extremal Gibbs state in two dimensions.Supported in part by NSF Grant PHY 78–15920 and by the Swiss National Foundation For Scientific Research.     

Parameter estimation in dynamic Casimir force measurements with known periodicity

It is important to have an accurate estimate of the unknown parameters such as the separation distance between interacting materials in Casimir force measurements. Current methods tend to produce large estimation errors. In this Letter, we present a novel method based on an adaptive control approach to estimate the unknown parameters using large amplitude dynamic Casimir measurements at separation distances of below 1 μm where both electrostatic force and Casimir force are significant. The estimate is proved to be accurate and the effectiveness of our method is demonstrated via a numerical example.