Influence of quantized massive matter fields on the Casimir effect

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantized massive matter fields under a magnetic field influence the Casimir effect, revealing a positive, boundary-condition-independent vacuum pressure that could be experimentally detectable.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of the Casimir effect for charged massive fields with general boundary conditions in a magnetic field, highlighting a new type of vacuum pressure.

Findings

Vacuum pressure is positive and independent of boundary conditions.

Magnetic field orthogonal to plates affects vacuum fluctuations.

Potential for experimental detection of the new Casimir effect.

Abstract

Charged massive matter fields of spin 0 and 1/2 are quantized in the presence of an external uniform magnetic field in a spatial region bounded by two parallel plates. The most general set of boundary conditions at the plates, that is required by mathematical consistency and the self-adjointness of the Hamiltonian operator, is employed. The vacuum fluctuations of the matter field in the case of the magnetic field orthogonal to the plates are analyzed, and it is shown that the pressure from the vacuum onto the plates is positive and independent of the boundary condition, as well as of the distance between the plates. Possibilities of the detection of this new-type Casimir effect are discussed.