Derivative expansion for the boundary interaction terms in the Casimir effect: Generalized {delta} potentials

Journal Article · Thu Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.80.085004· OSTI ID:21325394

Fosco, C D ^[1]; Lombardo, F C; Mazzitelli, F D ^[2]

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1. Centro Atomico Bariloche and Instituto Balseiro, Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, R8402AGP Bariloche (Argentina)
2. Departamento de Fisica Juan Jose Giambiagi, FCEyN UBA, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellon I, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina)

We calculate the Casimir energy for scalar fields in interaction with finite-width mirrors, described by nonlocal interaction terms. These terms, which include quantum effects due to the matter fields inside the mirrors, are approximated by means of a local expansion procedure. As a result of this expansion, an effective theory for the vacuum field emerges, which can be written in terms of generalized {delta} potentials. We compute explicitly the Casimir energy for these potentials and show that, for some particular cases, it is possible to reinterpret them as imposing imperfect Dirichlet boundary conditions.

• OSTI ID: 21325394
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 80, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.80.085004; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CASIMIR EFFECT
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DIRICHLET PROBLEM
EXPANSION
INTERACTIONS
MATTER
POTENTIALS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
SCALAR FIELDS