Restrictions on negative energy density in flat spacetime

L. H. Ford and Thomas A. Roman
Phys. Rev. D 55, 2082 – Published 15 February 1997
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Abstract

In a previous paper, a bound on the negative energy density seen by an arbitrary inertial observer was derived for the free massless, quantized scalar field in four-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. This constraint has the form of an uncertainty-principle-type limitation on the magnitude and duration of the negative energy density. That result was obtained after a somewhat complicated analysis. The goal of the current paper is to present a much simpler method for obtaining such constraints. Similar “quantum inequality” bounds on negative energy density are derived for the electromagnetic field, and for the massive scalar field in both two- and four-dimensional Minkowski spacetime.

  • Received 1 July 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.55.2082

©1997 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

L. H. Ford and Thomas A. Roman

  • Institute of Cosmology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155

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Vol. 55, Iss. 4 — 15 February 1997

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