Foundational Issues in Dynamical Casimir Effect and Analogue Features in Cosmological Particle Creation

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical foundations and analogue features of the dynamical Casimir effect (DCE) and its connection to cosmological particle creation, emphasizing the importance of rigorous quantum field theory for future experiments.

Contribution

It provides a thorough analysis of foundational issues in DCE and its analogy with cosmological particle creation, aiming to strengthen theoretical understanding for experimental development.

Findings

Identification of nonlocal dissipation effects in DCE dynamics

Establishment of quantum Lenz law and fluctuation-dissipation relations in DCE

Construction of a microphysics model for mirror and medium responses

Abstract

Moving mirrors as analogue sources of Hawking radiation from black holes have been explored extensively, less so with cosmological particle creation (CPC), even though the analogy between dynamical Casimir effect (DCE) and CPC based on the mechanism of parametric amplification of quantum field fluctuations has also been known for a long time. This `perspective' essay intends to convey some of the rigor and thoroughness of quantum field theory in curved spacetime, which serves as the theoretical foundation of CPC, to DCE, which enjoys a variety of active experimental explorations. We have selected out seven issues of relevance to address, starting from the naively simple ones, e.g., why should one be bothered with `curved' spacetime when performing a laboratory experiment in ostensibly flat space, to foundational theoretical ones, such as the frequent appearance of nonlocal dissipation in the system dynamics induced by colored noises in its field environment, the existence of quantum Lenz law and fluctuation-dissipation relations in the backreaction effects of DCE emission on the moving atom/mirror or the source, and the construction of a microphysics model to account for the dynamical responses of a mirror or medium. The strengthening of theoretical ground for DCE is useful not only for improving conceptual clarity but needed for the development of proof of concept type of future experimental designs for DCE. Results from DCE experiments in turn will enrich our understanding of quantum field effects in the early universe because they are, in the spirit of analogue gravity, our best hopes for the verification of these fundamental processes.