The Topological Casimir Effect

ORAL

Abstract

The conventional Casimir effect manifests itself as a quantum-mechanical force between two plates, that arises from the quantization of the electromagnetic field in the enclosed vacuum. In this talk the possibility is discussed of an extra, topological term in the Casimir energy at finite temperatures. This topological Casimir effect emerges due to the nontrivial topological features of the gauge theory and becomes apparent when examining, for example, periodic boundary conditions. Here the extra term is explicitly calculated for the simplest example of such a system: two large plates in the x-y plane, with an integer-valued topological flux in the z-direction. By dimensional reduction, this system is closely related to 2D Maxwell theory, which is well understood. We find that the topological term is extremely small compared to the conventional Casimir energy, but that the effect could possibly be amplified by an external magnetic field.

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Authors

  • Moos van Caspel

    University of British Columbia

  • C. Andreoiu

    University of Washington, Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland, Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Waterloo, Department of Physics, McMaster University, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford University, IFW-Dresden, Northern Illinois University, University of British Columbia, University of Michigan, Simon Fraser University, Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo, Washington State University, The University of British Columbia, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Oregon State University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Aixtron Ltd., Cornell University, TRIUMF, Society of Physics Students, Western Washington University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, University of Portland, Pacific University, University of Idaho, Department of Physics, University of Washington, Emory University, SFU, Arizona State University, Research Centre J\"ulich, University of Victoria, EPM, \'Ecole Polytechnique de Montr\'eal (EPM), Technical U of Denmark, Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Department of Physics, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, Linfield College, Portland State University, University of British Columbia Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Simon Fraser, Los Alamos National Lab, Los Alamos, McGill University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Cambridge, CSNSM-IN2P3-CNRS, University of Manitobia, Univ. of British Columbia and TRIUMF, Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat and MPI and TRIUMF, Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet, Univ. of Manitoba and TRIUMF, Tenische Universitaet Muenchen and TRIUMF, Simon Fraser Univ. and TRIUMF, University of British Columbia, TRIUMF, Ruprecht-Karls-Universit\"at Heidelberg, Max Planck Institute, TRIUMF, Westf\"alische Wilhelms-Universit\"at, TRIUMF, Johannes Gutenberg-Universit\"at Mainz, Ruprecht-Karls-Universit\"at Heidelberg, Univerity of Manitoba, TRIUMF, Simon Fraser University, TRIUMF, TRIUMF \& University of Manitoba, College of William and Mary, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, University of Maryland, University of Manitoba, UBC, Texas A\&M, University of Kentucky, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Guelph, St. Mary's University

  • C. Andreoiu

    University of Washington, Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland, Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Dalhousie University, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Waterloo, Department of Physics, McMaster University, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford University, IFW-Dresden, Northern Illinois University, University of British Columbia, University of Michigan, Simon Fraser University, Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo, Washington State University, The University of British Columbia, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Oregon State University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Aixtron Ltd., Cornell University, TRIUMF, Society of Physics Students, Western Washington University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, University of Portland, Pacific University, University of Idaho, Department of Physics, University of Washington, Emory University, SFU, Arizona State University, Research Centre J\"ulich, University of Victoria, EPM, \'Ecole Polytechnique de Montr\'eal (EPM), Technical U of Denmark, Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Department of Physics, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, Linfield College, Portland State University, University of British Columbia Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Simon Fraser, Los Alamos National Lab, Los Alamos, McGill University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Cambridge, CSNSM-IN2P3-CNRS, University of Manitobia, Univ. of British Columbia and TRIUMF, Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat and MPI and TRIUMF, Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet, Univ. of Manitoba and TRIUMF, Tenische Universitaet Muenchen and TRIUMF, Simon Fraser Univ. and TRIUMF, University of British Columbia, TRIUMF, Ruprecht-Karls-Universit\"at Heidelberg, Max Planck Institute, TRIUMF, Westf\"alische Wilhelms-Universit\"at, TRIUMF, Johannes Gutenberg-Universit\"at Mainz, Ruprecht-Karls-Universit\"at Heidelberg, Univerity of Manitoba, TRIUMF, Simon Fraser University, TRIUMF, TRIUMF \& University of Manitoba, College of William and Mary, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, University of Maryland, University of Manitoba, UBC, Texas A\&M, University of Kentucky, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Guelph, St. Mary's University