One-dimensional photon-gas thermodynamics ($U=\pi L{k}_B^2{T}^2/(3\hslash c)$)

A cavity with two transverse photon polarizations and standing-wave spacing $\pi /L$ has energy density of states $2L/(\pi \hslash c)$. In the continuum regime, integrating the Bose occupation at zero chemical potential gives $U=bL{T}^2$, where $b=\pi k_B^2/(3\hslash c)$. The thermal quantities are $C_L=S=2bLT$, Helmholtz free energy $A=-bL{T}^2$ and generalized pressure $P=b{T}^2=U/L$. The last quantity has units of force. These thermal formulas exclude a separate boundary-dependent vacuum energy and require temperature above the mode-spacing scale.