Vacuum stress around a topological defect

TL;DR

This paper investigates how a combined topological defect called dispiration affects the vacuum state of a scalar field, revealing vacuum polarization effects with potential implications in cosmology and condensed matter physics.

Contribution

It demonstrates that a dispiration induces vacuum polarization with off-diagonal energy-momentum tensor components, a novel insight into topological defect effects on quantum fields.

Findings

Vacuum polarization occurs around dispirations.

Off-diagonal energy-momentum tensor components are non-zero.

Potential applications in cosmology and condensed matter physics.

Abstract

We show that a dispiration (a disclination plus a screw dislocation) polarizes the vacuum of a scalar field giving rise to an energy momentum tensor which, as seen from a local inertial frame, presents non vanishing off-diagonal components. The results may have applications in cosmology (chiral cosmic strings) and condensed matter physics (materials with linear defects).