Mirror moving in quantum vacuum of a massive scalar field

TL;DR

This paper models a mirror moving in a massive scalar quantum vacuum, demonstrating that vacuum fluctuations alone can confine its motion without divergence issues, highlighting the vacuum's anti-correlated nature.

Contribution

It introduces a mirror model in a massive scalar field vacuum where vacuum fluctuations confine motion without effective mass divergence.

Findings

Vacuum fluctuations can confine mirror motion.

No divergence in effective mass is necessary for confinement.

Quantum vacuum's anti-correlation property is key to confinement.

Abstract

We present a mirror model moving in the quantum vacuum of a massive scalar field and study its motion under infinitely fluctuating quantum vacuum stress. The model is similar to the one in \cite{PhysRevD.89.085009}, but this time there is no divergent effective mass to weaken the effect of divergent vacuum energy density. We show that this kind of weakening is not necessary. The vacuum friction and strong anti-correlation property of the quantum vacuum are enough to confine the mirror's position fluctuations.