Dynamical Casimir Effect Research Articles

Dynamical Casimir effect with screened scalar fields

Understanding the nature of dark energy and dark matter is one of modern physics' greatest open problems. Scalar-tensor theories with screened scalar fields like the chameleon model are among the most popular proposed solutions. In this article, we present the first analysis of the impact of a chameleon field on the dynamical Casimir effect, whose main feature is the particle production associated with a resonant condition of boundary periodic motion in cavities. For this, we employ a recently developed method to compute the evolution of confined quantum scalar fields in a globally hyperbolic spacetime by means of time-dependent Bogoliubov transformations. As a result, we show that particle production is reduced due to the presence of the chameleon field. In addition, our results for the Bogoliubov coefficients and the mean number of created particles agree with known results in the absence of a chameleon field. Our results initiate the discussion of the evolution of quantum fields on screened scalar field backgrounds.

Dynamical Casimir effects: The need for nonlocality in time-varying dispersive nanophotonics

Dynamical Casimir effects: The need for nonlocality in time-varying dispersive nanophotonics

Squeezing characteristics of cavity field in dynamic Casimir effect

The dynamic Casimir effect refers to the phenomenon of photons generated in a cavity with periodically vibrating wall. The Hamiltonian of the dynamic Casimir effect includes the square term of the photon creation (annihilation) operator, which connects to the squeezing light. Here we discuss in detail the squeezing characteristics of the cavity field in the dynamic Casimir effect. When the cavity wall is driven classically, semi classical theory is adopted; When cavity wall vibration needs to be described by phonons, full quantum theory is used. The squeezing properties of the light field are different according to these two theory. In semi classical theory, the squeezing properties depend on the system parameter |B/A|. When |B/A|>1, the squeezing value changes periodically, and the squeezing weakens as |B/A| increases. When |B/A|<1, it is necessary to use optimized squeezing value to measure squeezing, which shows steady value of −0.25. In full quantum theory, we find that the squeezing of the cavity field weakens as the initial average phonon number decreases. This is because the smaller the average phonon number, the more pronounced the quantum properties of cavity wall vibration. During evolution, phonons and photons become entangled, disrupting the squeezing of the cavity field. The quantum properties of phonons have a negative impact on the squeezing of the light field. We also found that in full quantum theory, the optimized squeezing value should be used to better describe the squeezing, and the maximum squeezing can be achieved by controlling the initial average phonon number of the cavity wall without photon divergence. Most studies focus on resonance frequency, so the innovation points of this paper are of the large detuning frequency.. This work has significance for a deeper understanding of the quantum properties of the cavity field in the dynamic Casimir effect, and helps to generate squeezing microwaves using the parameter dynamic Casimir effect.

Bistability-assisted mechanical squeezing and entanglement

Based on a scheme proposed to experience the dynamical Casimir effect in optomechanical systems, we show how to squeeze mechanical motion and entangle the optical field with mechanical motion in an optomechanical system containing a parametric amplification. The scheme is based on optical bistability which emerges in the system for a strong enough driving field. By considering the steady state’s lower branch of the bistability, the system shows weak entanglement and almost no mechanical squeezing. When the steady state is on the upper branch of the bistable shape, both squeezing and entanglement are greatly enhanced. Specifically, the entanglement shows three degrees of magnitude enhancement. However, this giant entanglement is fragile against decoherence and thermal fluctuation. Regarding the mechanical squeezing, it reaches the standard quantum limit (SQL) in the upper branch of the bistability. Our proposal provides a way to improve quantum effects in optomechanical systems by taking advantage of nonlinearities. This scheme can be realized in similar systems such as superconducting microwave, and hybrid optomechanical systems.

Dynamic Ultrastrong Coupling in a 2 nm Gap Plasmonic Cavity at the Sub-Picosecond Scale.

Localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) can enhance the electromagnetic fields on metallic nanostructures upon light illumination, providing an approach for manipulating light-matter interactions at the sub-wavelength scale. However, currently, there is no thorough investigation of the physical mechanism in the dynamic formation of the strongly coupled LSPRs on sub-5 nm plasmonic cavities at the sub-picosecond scale. In this work, through femtosecond broadband transient absorption spectroscopy, we reveal the dynamic ultrastrong coupling processes in a nanoparticle-in-trench (NPiT) structure containing 2 nm gap cavities, and demonstrate a coherent motional coupling between vibrating AuNPs and the nanogaps. We achieve a maximum Rabi splitting energy of ∼660 meV in the sub-picosecond hot-electron relaxation time scale under the resonant excitation of the nanogap cavity's LSPR, reaching the ultrastrong coupling regime. This leads to a change of global vibration modes for the 2 nm gap cavity, potentially related to the dynamical Casimir effect with nanogap resonators.

Classical and quantum field theory in a box with moving boundaries: A numerical study of the dynamical Casimir effect

Classical and quantum field theory in a box with moving boundaries: A numerical study of the dynamical Casimir effect

Phonon-photon conversion as mechanism for cooling and coherence transfer

The dynamical Casimir effect is the physical phenomenon where the mechanical energy of a movable wall of a cavity confining a quantum field can be converted into quanta of the field itself. This effect has been recognized as one of the most astonishing predictions of quantum field theory. At the quantum scale, the energy conversion can also occur incoherently, namely, without a physical motion of the wall. By means of quantum thermodynamics, we show that this phenomenon can be employed as a tool to cool down the wall when there is a nonvanishing temperature gradient between the wall and the cavity. At the same time, the mechanism responsible for the heat transfer enables sharing the coherence from one cavity mode, driven by a laser, to the wall, thereby forcing its coherent oscillation. Finally, we show how to employ one laser drive to cool the entire system, including the case when it is composed of other subsystems. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Optomechanical Backreaction of Quantum Field Processes in Dynamical Casimir Effect

Optomechanical Backreaction of Quantum Field Processes in Dynamical Casimir Effect

First- and Second-Order Forces in the Asymmetric Dynamical Casimir Effect for a Single δ − δ′ Mirror

Here, we consider an asymmetric δ−δ′ mirror undergoing time-dependent interactions with a massless scalar field in 1 + 1 dimensions. Using fluctuation-dissipation theory for a mirror in vacuum, we compute the force on a moving δ−δ′ mirror with time-dependent material properties. We investigate the first-order forces arising from the two distinct fluctuation sources and calculate the linear susceptibility in each case. We then plot the resulting forces. At the second order, we also find the independent contributions to the total force as well as the force that arises from the interference phenomena between the two fluctuation sources.

Multipole Approach to the Dynamical Casimir Effect with Finite-Size Scatterers.

A mirror subjected to a fast mechanical oscillation emits photons out of the quantum vacuum-a phenomenon known as the dynamical Casimir effect (DCE). The mirror is usually treated as an infinite metallic surface. Here, we show that, in realistic experimental conditions (mirror size and oscillation frequency), this assumption is inadequate and drastically overestimates the DCE radiation. Taking the opposite limit, we use instead the dipolar approximation to obtain a simpler and more realistic treatment of DCE for macroscopic bodies. Our approach is inspired by a microscopic theory of DCE, which is extended to the macroscopic realm by a suitable effective Hamiltonian description of moving anisotropic scatterers. We illustrate the benefits of our approach by considering the DCE from macroscopic bodies of different geometries.

Thermodynamic entropy production in the dynamical Casimir effect

Thermodynamic entropy production in the dynamical Casimir effect

Accelerated electron thermometer: observation of 1D Planck radiation

Abstract We report on the observation of thermal photons from an accelerated electron via examination of radiative beta decay of free neutrons measured by the RDK II collaboration. The emitted photon spectrum is shown to corroborate a thermal distribution consistent with the dynamical Casimir effect. Supported by a robust chi-squared statistic, we find the photons reside in a 1D Planck spectrum with a temperature predicted by the moving mirror model. Subject Indices: B50 (Electromagnetic processes and properties), D29 (Nuclear decays and radioactivities (including fission)), and E76 (Quantum field theory on curved space)

Noise and dissipation on a moving mirror induced by the dynamical Casimir emission

We adopt an open quantum system approach to study the effects of the back-reaction from a quantum field onto the dynamics of a moving mirror. We describe the coupling between the mirror and the field by using a microscopic model from which the dielectric response of the mirror is obtained from first principles. Using second-order perturbation theory, we derive the master equation governing the mechanical motion of the mirror. Our analysis reveals that the mirror experiences coloured noise and non-local dissipation, which originate from the emission of particle pairs via the dynamical Casimir effect. We show that the noise and dissipation kernels, that enter in the definition of the time-dependent coefficients of the master equation, are related by standard fluctuation-dissipation relations.

Preparation of squeezed light with low average photon number based on dynamic Casimir effect

It is well known that squeezed states can be produced by nonlinear optical processes, such as parametric amplification and four wave mixing, in which two photons are created or annihilated simultaneously. Since the Hamiltonian of the dynamic Casimir effect contains a 2 and a +2, photons in such a process are also generated or annihilated in pairs. Here we propose to get squeezed light through the dynamic Casimir effect. Specifically, we demonstrate it from the full quantum perspective and the semiclassical perspective successively. Different from previous work, we focus on generating squeezed states with the lowest average photon number, because such squeezed states have better quantum properties. For the full quantum picture, that is, phonons also have quantum properties, when the system is initially in the excited state of phonons, squeezed light cannot be generated during the evolution, but the light field can collapse to the squeezed state by measuring the state of phonons. When the phonon is treated as a classical quantity, that is, the cavity wall is continuously driven, squeezed light with the minimum average photon number will be generated in the case of off-resonance. This will play a positive role in better regulating the photon state generated by the dynamic Casimir system in the future.

Stopping to reflect: Asymptotic static moving mirrors as quantum analogs of classical radiation

Radiation from an accelerating charge is a basic process that can serve as an intersection between classical and quantum physics. We present two exactly soluble electron trajectories that permit analysis of the radiation emitted, exploring its time evolution and spectrum by analogy with the moving mirror model of the dynamic Casimir effect. These classical solutions are finite energy, rectilinear (nonperiodic), asymptotically zero velocity worldlines with corresponding quantum analog beta Bogolyubov coefficients. One of them has an interesting connection to uniform acceleration and Leonardo da Vinci's water pitcher experiment.

Larmor Temperature, Casimir Dynamics, and Planck’s Law

Classical radiation from a single relativistically accelerating electron is investigated where the temperature characterizing the system highlights the dependence on acceleration. In the context of the dynamic Casimir effect with Planck-distributed photons and thermal black hole evaporation, we demonstrate analytic consistency between the ideas of constant acceleration and equilibrium thermal radiation. For ultra-relativistic speeds, we demonstrate a long-lasting constant peel acceleration and constant power emission, which is consistent with the idea of balanced equilibrium of Planck-distributed particle radiation.

Classicality of the Bogoliubov Transformations and the Dynamical Casimir Effect Through the Reduced State of the Field

We use the reduced state of the field formalism [Entropy 21, 705 (2019)] to derive conditions under which a Bogoliubov transformation can be considered semi-classical. We apply this result to the dynamical Casimir effect in a moving medium [Phys. Rev. A 78, 042109 (2008)], discussing its classical and quantum features.

Infrared Acceleration Radiation

We present an exactly soluble electron trajectory that permits an analysis of the soft (deep infrared) radiation emitted, the existence of which has been experimentally observed during beta decay via lowest order inner bremsstrahlung. Our treatment also predicts the time evolution and temperature of the emission, and possibly the spectrum, by analogy with the closely related phenomenon of the dynamic Casimir effect.

The Asymmetric Dynamical Casimir Effect

A mirror with time-dependent boundary conditions will interact with the quantum vacuum to produce real particles via a phenomenon called the dynamical Casimir effect (DCE). When asymmetric boundary conditions are imposed on the fluctuating mirror, the DCE produces an asymmetric spectrum of particles. We call this the asymmetric dynamical Casimir effect (ADCE). Here, we investigate the necessary conditions and general structure of the ADCE through both a waves-based and a particles-based perspective. We review the current state of the ADCE literature and expand upon previous studies to generate new asymmetric solutions. The physical consequences of the ADCE are examined, as the imbalance of particles produced must be balanced with the subsequent motion of the mirror. The transfer of momentum from the vacuum to macroscopic objects is discussed.

THz Ultra‐Strong Light–Matter Coupling up to 200 K with Continuously‐Graded Parabolic Quantum Wells

AbstractContinuously graded parabolic quantum wells with excellent optical performances are used to overcome the low‐frequency and thermal limitations of square quantum wells at terahertz (THz) frequencies. The formation of microcavity intersubband polaritons at frequencies as low as 1.8 THz is demonstrated, with a sustained ultra‐strong coupling regime up to a temperature of 200 K. Thanks to the excellent intersubband transition linewidth, polaritons present quality factors up to 17. It is additionally shown that the ultra‐strong coupling regime is preserved when the active region is embedded in sub‐wavelength resonators, with an estimated relative strength η = ΩR/ω0 = 0.12. This represents an important milestone for future studies of quantum vacuum radiation because such resonators can be optically modulated at ultrafast rates, possibly leading to the generation of non‐classical light via the dynamic Casimir effect. Finally, with an effective volume of , it is estimated that fewer than 3000 electrons per resonator are ultra‐strongly coupled to the quantized electromagnetic mode, proving it is also a promising approach to explore few‐electron polaritonic systems operating at relatively high temperatures.