Casimir effect around disclinations

TL;DR

This paper investigates how disclinations in insulators alter the electromagnetic quantum vacuum, revealing a nonzero Casimir energy density due to broken rotational symmetry, with explicit formulas provided.

Contribution

It introduces an explicit expression for the Casimir energy density around disclinations in insulators, linking geometric defects to quantum vacuum energy.

Findings

Disclinations induce a nonzero vacuum energy density.

Explicit formula for Casimir energy density around disclinations.

Broken rotational symmetry affects electromagnetic quantum vacuum.

Abstract

This communication concerns the structure of the electromagnetic quantum vacuum in a disclinated insulator. It is shown that a nonzero vacuum energy density appears when the rotational symmetry of a continuous insulating elastic medium is broken by a disclination. An explicit expression is given for this Casimir energy density in terms of the parameter describing the disclination.