The Dirichlet Casimir Energy for $ϕ^4$ Theory in a Rectangle

Abstract

In this article, we present the zero and first-order radiative correction to the Dirichlet Casimir energy for massive and massless scalar field confined in a rectangle. This calculation procedure was conducted in two spatial dimensions and for the case of the first-order correction term is new. The renormalization program that we have used in this work, allows all influences from the dominant boundary conditions (e.g. the Dirichlet boundary condition) be automatically reflected in the counterterms. This permission usually makes the counterterms position-dependent. Along with the renormalization program, a supplementary regularization technique was performed in this work. In this regularization technique, that we have named Box Subtraction Scheme (BSS), two similar configurations were introduced and the zero point energies of these two configurations were subtracted from each other using appropriate limits. This regularization procedure makes the usage of any analytic continuation techniques unnecessary. In the present work, first, we briefly present calculation of the leading order Casimir energy for the massive scalar field in a rectangle via BSS. Next, the first order correction to the Casimir energy is calculated by applying the mentioned renormalization and regularization procedures. Finally, all the necessary limits of obtained answers for both massive and massless cases are discussed.