Casimir effect in axion electrodynamics with lattice regularizations

The Casimir effect is induced by the interplay between photon fields and boundary conditions, and in particular, photon fields modified in axion electrodynamics may lead to the sign-flipping of the Casimir energy. We propose a theoretical approach to derive the Casimir effect in axion electrodynamics. This approach is based on a lattice regularization and enables us to discuss the dependence on the lattice spacing for the Casimir energy. With this approach, the sign-flipping behavior of the Casimir energy is correctly reproduced. By taking the continuum limit of physical quantity calculated on the lattice, we can obtain the results consistent with the continuum theory. This approach can also be applied to the Casimir effect at nonzero temperature. Published by the American Physical Society 2024