Polarization of the vacuum of a quantized scalar field by an impenetrable magnetic vortex of finite thickness

Abstract

We consider the effect of the magnetic field background in the form of a tube of the finite transverse size on the vacuum of the quantized charged massive scalar field which is subject to the Dirichlet boundary condition at the tube. It is shown that, if the Compton wavelength associated with the scalar field exceeds considerably the transverse size of the tube, then the vacuum energy which is finite and periodic in the value of the magnetic flux enclosed in the tube is induced on a plane transverse to the tube. Some consequences for generic features of the vacuum polarization in the cosmic-string background are discussed.