Causality, stability and passivity for a mirror in vacuum

Abstract

The mean force exerted upon a perfect mirror moving in vacuum in a two dimensional spacetime has the same expression as the radiation reaction force computed in classical electron theory. It follows that unacceptable runaway solutions are predicted. We show that this instability problem does not appear when partially transmitting mirrors are studied. The mechanical impedance describing the mirror coupled to vacuum radiation pressure is computed explicitly; recoil is neglected. It is found to be a passive function, so that stability is ensured. This is connected to the fact that no energy can be extracted from the vacuum state.

5 pages, corrected typo in formula 7

References in corpus (2)

• Quantum limits in interferometric measurements
• Fluctuations and dissipation for a mirror in vacuum

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