We extend a recently proposed Quantum Field Theory (QFT) approach to the Lifshitz formula, originally implemented for a real scalar field, to the case of a fluctuating vacuum electromagnetic (EM) field, coupled to two flat, parallel mirrors. The general result is presented in terms of the invariants of the vacuum polarization tensors due to the media on each mirror. We consider mirrors that have small widths, with the zero-width limit as a particular case. We apply the latter to models involving graphene sheets, obtaining results which are consistent with previous ones.
We study the field theoretical model of a scalar field in presence of spacial inhomogeneities in form of one and two finite width mirrors (material slabs). The interaction of the scalar field with the defect is described with position-dependent mass term. Within this model we derive the interaction of two finite width mirrors, establish the correspondence of the model to the Lifshitz formula and construct limiting procedure to obtain finite self-energy of a single mirror without any normalization condition.
We employ the holographic method to study fluctuations and dissipation of an $n$-dimensional moving mirror coupled to quantum critical theories in $d$ spacetime dimensions. The bulk counterpart of the mirror with perfect reflection is a D$(n+1)$ brane in the Lifshitz geometry of $d+1$ dimensions. The motion of the mirror can be realized from the dynamics of the brane at the boundary of the bulk. The excited modes of the brane in the bulk render the mirror undergoing Brownian motion. For small displacement of the mirror, we derive the analytical results of the correlation functions and response…
We provide a Quantum Field Theory derivation of Lifshitz formula for the Casimir force due to a fluctuating real scalar field in $d+1$ dimensions. The field is coupled to two imperfect, thick, plane mirrors, which are modeled by background potentials localized on their positions. The derivation proceeds from the calculation of the vacuum energy in the Euclidean version of the system, reducing the problem to the evaluation of a functional determinant. The latter is written, via Gelfand-Yaglom's formula, in terms of functions depending on the structure of the potential describing each mirror; th…
Based on the work of Borcherds we construct on the moduli space of K3 surfaces with B-field an automorphic form exp_{4,20} which vanishes on the totally geodesic subspaces orthogonal to -2 vectors of the even, unimodular lattice of signature (4,20). We give an explicit formula of the regularized determinants of the Laplacians of Calabi Yau metrics on K3 Surfaces, following suggestions by R. Borcherds. The holomorphic part of the regularized determinants will be the higher dimensional analogue of Dedekind Eta function. We give explicit formulas for the number of non singular rational curves wit…
We analyze the locus, together with multiplicities, of "bad" conformal field theories in the compactified moduli space of N=(2,2) superconformal field theories in the context of the generalization of the Batyrev mirror construction using the gauged linear sigma-model. We find this discriminant of singular theories is described beautifully by the GKZ "A-determinant" but only if we use a noncompact toric Calabi-Yau variety on the A-model side and logarithmic coordinates on the B-model side. The two are related by "local" mirror symmetry. The corresponding statement for the compact case requires …
Twist fields were introduced a few decades ago as a quantum counterpart to classical kink configurations and disorder variables in low dimensional field theories. In recent years they received a new incarnation within the framework of geometric entropy and strong coupling limit of four-dimensional scattering amplitudes. In this paper, we study their two-point correlation functions in a free massless scalar theory, namely, twist--twist and twist--anti-twist correlators. In spite of the simplicity of the model in question, the properties of the latter are far from being trivial. The problem is r…
We consider the one-loop effective potential at zero temperature in field theories with anisotropic space-time scaling, with critical exponent $z=3$, including scalar, fermion and gauge fields. The fermion determinant generates a symmetry breaking term at one loop in the effective potential and a local minimum appears, for non zero scalar field, for every value of the Yukawa coupling. Depending on the relative strength of the coupling constants for the scalar and the gauge field, we find a second symmetry breaking local minimum in the effective potential for a bigger value of the scalar field.
We consider Lifshitz field theories with a dynamical critical exponent z equal to the dimension of space d and with a large group of base space symmetries, concretely space coordinate transformations with unit determinant ("Special Diffeomorphisms"). The field configurations of the theories considered may have the topology of skyrmions, vortices or monopoles, although we focus our detailed investigations on skyrmions. The resulting Lifshitz field theories have a BPS bound and exact soliton solutions saturating the bound, as well as time-dependent topological Q-ball solutions. Finally, we inves…
Environment effects on a $n$-dimensional mirror from the strongly coupled d-dimensional quantum critical fields with a dynamic exponent $z$ in weakly squeezed states are studied by the holographic approach. The dual description is a $n+1$-dimensional probe brane moving in the $d+1$-dimensional asymptotic Lifshitz geometry with gravitational wave perturbations. Using the holographic influence functional method, we find that the large coupling constant of the fields reduces the position uncertainty of the mirror, but enhances the momentum uncertainty. As such, the product of the position and mom…
We calculate the Casimir energy for scalar and gauge fields in interaction with zero-width mirrors, including quantum effects due to the matter fields inside the mirrors. We consider models where those fields are either scalar or fermionic, obtaining general expressions for the energy as a function of the vacuum field 1PI function. We also study, within the frame of a concrete model, the role of the dissipation induced by those degrees of freedom, showing that, after integration of the matter fields, the effective theory for the electromagnetic field contains modes with complex energies. As fo…
The evolution of the Von Neumann entanglement entropy of a $n$-dimensional mirror influenced by the strongly coupled $d$-dimensional quantum critical fields with a dynamic exponent $z$ is studied by the holographic approach. The dual description is a $n+1$-dimensional probe brane moving in the $d+1$-dimensional asymptotic Lifshitz geometry ended at $r=r_b$, which plays a role as the UV energy cutoff. Using the holographic influence functional method, we find that in the linear response region, by introducing a harmonic trap for the mirror, which serves as a IR energy cutoff, the Von Neumann en…
It has been recently conjectured that the spectral determinants of operators associated to mirror curves can be expressed in terms of a generalization of theta functions, called quantum theta functions. In this paper we study the symplectic properties of these spectral determinants by expanding them around the point hbar=2pi, where the quantum theta functions become conventional theta functions. We find that they are modular invariant, order by order, and we give explicit expressions for the very first terms of the expansion. Our derivation requires a detailed understanding of the modular prop…
We study the Harper-Hofstadter Hamiltonian and its corresponding non-perturbative butterfly spectrum. The problem is algebraically solvable whenever the magnetic flux is a rational multiple of $2π$. For such values of the magnetic flux, the theory allows a formulation with two Bloch or $θ$-angles. We treat the problem by the path integral formulation, and show that the spectrum receives instanton corrections. Instantons as well as their one loop fluctuation determinants are found explicitly and the finding is matched with the numerical band width of the butterfly spectrum. We extend the analys…
We study the partition function of the three-dimensional N=6 U(N)_k x U(N+M)_{-k} superconformal Chern-Simons matter theory known as the ABJ theory. We prove that the ABJ partition function on S^3 is exactly the same as a formula recently proposed by Awata, Hirano and Shigemori. While this formula was previously obtained by an analytic continuation from the L(2,1) lens space matrix model, we directly derive this by using a generalization of the Cauchy determinant identity. We also give an interpretation for the formula from brane picture.
In this article we compute the Casimir force between two finite-width mirrors at finite temperature, working in a simplified model in 1+1 dimensions. The mirrors, considered as dissipative media, are modeled by a continuous set of harmonic oscillators which in turn are coupled to an external environment at thermal equilibrium. The calculation of the Casimir force is performed in the framework of the theory of quantum open systems. It is shown that the Casimir interaction has two different contributions: the usual radiation pressure from vacuum, which is obtained for ideal mirrors without dissi…
Mirror manifolds to toric Calabi-Yau threefolds are encoded in algebraic curves. The quantization of these curves leads naturally to quantum-mechanical operators on the real line. We show that, for a large number of local del Pezzo Calabi-Yau threefolds, these operators are of trace class. In some simple geometries, like local P2, we calculate the integral kernel of the corresponding operators in terms of Faddeev's quantum dilogarithm. Their spectral traces are expressed in terms of multi-dimensional integrals, similar to the state-integrals appearing in three-manifold topology, and we show th…
We study the field theoretical model of a scalar field in presence of spacial inhomogeneities in form of one and two finite width mirrors (material slabs). The interaction of the scalar field with the defect is described with position-dependent mass term. For the single layer system we develop a rigorous calculation method and derive explicitly the propagator of the theory, S-matrix elements and the Casimir self-energy of the slab. Detailed investigation of particular limits of self-energy is presented, and connection to know cases is discussed. The calculation method is found applicable to th…
We propose that the grand canonical topological string partition functions satisfy finite-difference equations in the closed string moduli. In the case of genus one mirror curve these are conjectured to be the q-difference Painlevé equations as in Sakai's classification. More precisely, we propose that the tau-functions of q-Painlevé equations are related to the grand canonical topological string partition functions on the corresponding geometry. In the toric cases we use topological string/spectral theory duality to give a Fredholm determinant representation for the above tau-functions in ter…
