| The one-loop vacuum polarization is calculated for untwisted and twisted scalar fields in a flat space-time with the topology S1×R3. The effect of vacuum polarization upon photon propagation is considered. It is found that for the untwisted scalar field some photon modes acquire a positive topological mass, thus travelling at a subluminal speed; But for the twisted scalar field some photon modes get an imaginary topological mass and travel at a superluminal speed. The effect of a topological photon mass on the static properties of electomagnetic fields is also considered for both twisted and untwisted scalar fields. Our result shows that in the untwisted case the magnetic field is screened along the radial direction for massive photon modes while in the twisted case no screening occurs and the magnetic field merely oscillates.
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