/images/people/kmilton.gif

Kim Milton, George Lynn Cross Research Professor of Physics, Emeritus

kmilton@ou.edu

Awards:

Fellow, American Physical Society

Simons Fellow (2013-4)

Foreign Member, Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters Academy

Fellow, The Institute of Physics (UK)

Research Description:

Previous programs of my group at the University of Oklahoma focussed on developing nonperturbative methods for use in quantum field theories and gauge theories. These included the quantum finite-element lattice method, variational perturbation theory, the delta expansion applied to symmetry breaking, and analytic perturbation theory. Substantial efforts had been made to understand the possible existence of magnetic monopoles. A new class of quantum field theories which respect PT symmetry but not Hermiticity has been thoroughly investigated.

Most of my current work involves vacuum fluctuation phenomena (the Casimir effect), which have been studied in contexts ranging from cosmological through hadronic to condensed matter systems. Particularly of interest are questions of divergences encountered in such calculations, and of thermal corrections and other effects in real materials. Gravitational implications of quantum vacuum energy are particularly important. Techniques for extracting exact Casimir interactions between distinct bodies are being developed. Repulsive Casimir forces, and related negative entropy phenomena are being investigated. Recent studies involved examining the effects of inhomogeneous media, and systematics of quantum vacuum and Casimir friction of particles moving through nontrivial backgrounds.

Research supported in part by the US National Science Foundation.

For my recent papers click here.

For my recent books click here.

For my current vita click here for postscript format, or here for pdf.

For a one-page minivita click here for postscript format, or here for pdf.