  Cavities with periodically oscillating mirrors have been predicted to excite
photon pairs out of the quantum vacuum in a process known as the Dynamical
Casimir effect. Here we propose and analyse an experimental layout that can
provide an efficient modulation of the effective optical length of a cavity
mode in the near-infrared spectral region. An analytical model of the dynamical
Casimir emission is developed and compared to the predictions of a direct
numerical solution of Maxwell's equations in real time. A sizeable intensity of
dynamical Casimir emission is anticipated for realistic operating parameters.
In the presence of an external coherent seed beam, we predict amplification of
the seed beam and the appearance of an additional phase-conjugate beam as a
consequence of stimulated dynamical Casimir processes.
