Casimir effect and the quantum vacuum

The Casimir Effect and the Quantum Vacuum

In discussions of the cosmological constant, the Casimir effect is often invoked as decisive evidence that the zero point energies of quantum fields are “real”. On the contrary, Casimir effects can be formulated and Casimir forces can be computed without reference to zero point energies. They are relativistic, quantum forces between charges and currents. The Casimir force (per unit area) betwee...

Casimir Effect and Vacuum Fluctuations

Vacuum fluctuations have observable consequences, like the Casimir force between two plates in vacuum. There now exists good agreement between theory and experimental measurements of this force. The role of the Casimir effect in diverse fields such as Quantum Field Theory, Condensed Matter Physics and Atomic Physics etc is discussed. A brief description of current applications to nanotechnology...

Quantum Electrodynamics of Casimir Momentum: Momentum of the Quantum Vacuum?

Vacuum energy and repulsive Casimir forces in quantum star graphs

Casimir pistons are models in which finite Casimir forces can be calculated without any suspect renormalizations. It has been suggested that such forces are always attractive, but we present several counterexamples, notably a simple type of quantum graph in which the sign of the force depends upon the number of edges. We also show that Casimir forces in quantum graphs can be reliably computed b...

The Casimir effect in the Fulling–Rindler vacuum

The vacuum expectation values of the energy–momentum tensor are investigated for massless scalar fields satisfying Dicichlet or Neumann boundary conditions, and for the electromagnetic field with perfect conductor boundary conditions on two infinite parallel plates moving by uniform proper acceleration through the Fulling–Rindler vacuum. The scalar case is considered for general values of the c...