Spatially averaged quantum inequalities do not exist in four-dimensional space-time

Aug, 2002
13 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.D 66 (2002) 124012
e-Print:

Citations per year

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Abstract: (arXiv)
We construct a particular class of quantum states for a massless, minimally coupled free scalar field which are of the form of a superposition of the vacuum and multi-mode two-particle states. These states can exhibit local negative energy densities. Furthermore, they can produce an arbitrarily large amount of negative energy in a given region of space at a fixed time. This class of states thus provides an explicit counterexample to the existence of a spatially averaged quantum inequality in four-dimensional spacetime.
  • 42.50.Dv
  • 04.62.+v
  • 03.70.+k
  • field theory: scalar
  • massless
  • coupling: minimal
  • energy: density
  • two-point function