Vacuum Structure and Dark Energy

TL;DR

This paper proposes that the universe's dark energy may originate from an excited vacuum state, influenced by known physics like macroscopic QED fields, with potential laboratory testability.

Contribution

It introduces a novel hypothesis linking dark energy to excited vacuum states affected by known physics, exploring experimental accessibility.

Findings

Vacuum excitation energy can account for dark energy.

Energy scales of 1 meV to 1 eV are relevant.

Laboratory experiments could test this hypothesis.

Abstract

We consider that the universe is trapped in an excited vacuum state and the resulting excitation energy provides the observed dark energy. We explore the conditions under which this situation can arise from physics already known. Considering the example of how macroscopic QED fields alter the vacuum structure, we find that the energy scale 1 meV --- 1 eV is particularly interesting. We discuss how dark energy of this form is accessible to laboratory experiments.