High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! In quantum field theory the vacuum expectation value of an operator is its average, expected value in the vacuum. The vacuum expectation value of an operator O is usually denoted by langle Orangle. One of the best known examples of the vacuum expectation value of an operator leading to a physical effect is the Casimir effect. This concept is important for working with correlation functions in quantum field theory. It is also important in spontaneous symmetry breaking.