Electric Field and Voltage Fluctuations in the Casimir Effect

TL;DR

This paper investigates how reflecting boundaries influence vacuum electric field fluctuations and how these fluctuations can cause voltage and kinetic energy variations in charged particles, potentially affecting quantum barrier penetration.

Contribution

It introduces the concept that boundary-induced electric field fluctuations can enhance quantum barrier penetration, linking vacuum fluctuations to observable effects.

Findings

Boundaries increase vacuum electric field fluctuations.

Voltage fluctuations lead to kinetic energy variations in particles.

Possible enhancement of quantum tunneling probability.

Abstract

The effects of reflecting boundaries on vacuum electric field fluctuations are treated. The presence of the boundaries can enhance these fluctuations and possibly lead to observable effects. The electric field fluctuations lead to voltage fluctuations along the worldline of a charged particle moving perpendicularly to a pair of reflecting plates, These voltage fluctuations in turn lead to fluctuations in the kinetic energy of the particle, which may enhance the probability of quantum barrier penetration by the particle. A recent experiment by Moddel {\it et al} is discussed as a possible example of this enhanced barrier penetration probability.