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arXiv · 1912.12651

Casimir energy due to inhomogeneous thin plates

Cesar D. Fosco·Francisco D. Mazzitelli
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Abstract

We study the Casimir energy due to a quantum real scalar field coupled to two planar, infinite, zero-width, parallel mirrors with non-homogeneous properties. These properties are represented, in the model we use, by scalar functions defined on each mirror's plane. Using the Gelfand-Yaglom's theorem, we construct a Lifshitz-like formula for the Casimir energy of such a system. Then we use it to evaluate the energy perturbatively, for the case of almost constant scalar functions, and also implementing a Derivative Expansion, under the assumption that the spatial dependence of the properties is sufficiently smooth. We point out that, in some particular cases, the Casimir interaction energy for non-planar perfect mirrors can be reproduced by inhomogeneities on planar mirrors.

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Cesar D. Fosco, Francisco D. Mazzitelli. 2019-12-29. Casimir energy due to inhomogeneous thin plates. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.101.045012

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