English

Derivative expansion for the boundary interaction terms in the Casimir effect: generalized $\delta$-potentials

High Energy Physics - Theory 2009-11-02 v1

Abstract

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 δ\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

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0908.1796,
  title  = {Derivative expansion for the boundary interaction terms in the Casimir effect: generalized $\delta$-potentials},
  author = {C. D. Fosco and F. C. Lombardo and F. D. Mazzitelli},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0908.1796},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

12 pages, two figures