How the electromagnetic field evolves in the presence of a mobile membrane

Abstract

We consider a one-dimensional cavity composed of two perfect, fixed mirrors and a mobile membrane in between. Assuming that the membrane starts to move from rest and that the membrane moves appreciably in a time-scale much larger than the time-scale in which the cavity electromagnetic field evolves appreciably, we derive simple analytic formulas that describe to good approximation the evolution of the field and that provide an intuitive physical picture. These formulas take into account the position, velocity, and acceleration of the membrane and are valid for arbitrarily large displacements of the membrane along the cavity axis. Also, we deduce the conditions under which the field can be described to good approximation by a single instantaneous mode.