Casimir effect for a massive scalar field under mixed boundary conditions

Abstract

We discuss the Casimir effect for a massive bosonic field with mixed (Dirichlet-Neumann) boundary conditions. We use the zeta-function regularization prescription to obtain our physical results. Particularly, we analyse how the Casimir energy varies with the mass of the field and compare this mass dependence with those obtained for other boundary conditions. This is done graphically. Some other graphs involving a massive fermionic field are also included.