Traversable wormholes in matter–curvature coupled gravity: Exotic and nonexotic matter support

TAŞER D.

Journal of Subatomic Particles and Cosmology, vol.6, 2026 (Scopus)

Abstract

We study wormholes in the nonminimally coupled f(R, Lm, T) gravity, focusing on the linear f(R, Lm, T) function with a constant redshift function. The modified field equations are attained for an anisotropic fluid and two wormhole models are constructed. In first model, we prescribe a power-law energy density profile and derive the corresponding shape function, showing that it satisfies the traversability conditions. We identify a parameter region, η < 0 and (Formula presented), where ρ > 0, pr > 0 and pt < 0, the ordinary matter sector satisfies the NEC, WEC and DEC, while the SEC is saturated. In the same branch, the volume integral quantifier based on (Formula presented) is positive and the generalized Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equation reduces to a balance between hydrostatic and anisotropic forces. The wormhole structure admits nonexotic traversable wormholes supported by an anisotropic fluid with tangential tension. In contrast, for a hybrid shape function the combination (Formula presented) becomes negative in a finite radial domain, leading to violations of the tangential NEC, WEC and DEC and implying that exotic matter is required to sustain the wormhole. These results show that linear f(R, Lm, T) gravity can accommodate both nonexotic and exotic wormhole configurations, depending on the matter profile and model parameters.