Vacuum energy around particles

TL;DR

This paper explores how moving mirrors in a cavity can generate not only real particles but also positive vacuum energy around them, revealing differences in energy transfer depending on cavity configuration.

Contribution

It demonstrates that cavity geometry influences the distribution of energy between real particles and vacuum energy during mirror motion.

Findings

Single mirror in free space converts all energy into real particles.

Cavity with two mirrors results in some energy forming vacuum energy around particles.

Vacuum energy contribution depends on cavity configuration.

Abstract

The creation of particles by the excitation of the quantum vacuum in a cavity with a moving mirror was predicted in 1969. Here, we investigate that, in addition to real particles, the excitation of the quantum vacuum in a dynamical cavity can also result in the creation of a certain amount of positive vacuum energy around these particles. We show that while in the case of a single mirror moving in a free space, with the field in the vacuum state, all the energy transferred from the mirror to the field is converted into real particles, on the other hand, when considering a second and static mirror forming a cavity with the first, the same movement of the first mirror can lead to less energy being converted into real particles, with the difference being converted into positive vacuum energy around these particles.