Unveiling Quantum Effects in Inhomogeneous Field Theories

This talk delves into the quantum aspects of a scalar field theory with a position-dependent mass, an interesting field theory example for understanding quantum phenomena in inhomogeneous backgrounds. While the so-called Weyl-Titchmarsh-Kodaira theory provides a mathematically rigorous canonical quantization framework, we argue that an algebraic approach offers a more physically transparent interpretation. This viewpoint is further supported by a conversion between (1+1)-dimensional inhomogeneous field theory and quantum field theory in curved spacetime. As an interesting application, we examine quantum effects on bubble wall expansion in the early universe, which may offer new insights on bubble wall expansion.