375 research outputs found
Casimir Surface Force on a Dilute Dielectric Ball
The Casimir surface force density F on a dielectric dilute spherical ball of
radius a, surrounded by a vacuum, is calculated at zero temperature. We treat
(n-1) (n being the refractive index) as a small parameter. The dispersive
properties of the material are taken into account by adopting a simple
dispersion relation, involving a sharp high frequency cutoff at omega =
omega_0. For a nondispersive medium there appears (after regularization) a
finite, physical, force F^{nondisp} which is repulsive. By means of a uniform
asymptotic expansion of the Riccati-Bessel functions we calculate F^{nondisp}
up to the fourth order in 1/nu. For a dispersive medium the main part of the
force F^{disp} is also repulsive. The dominant term in F^{disp} is proportional
to (n-1)^2{omega_0}^3/a, and will under usual physical conditions outweigh
F^{nondisp} by several orders of magnitude.Comment: 24 pages, latex, no figures, some additions to the Acknowledments
sectio
Non-Perturbative Theory for Dispersion Self-Energy of Atoms
We go beyond the approximate series-expansions used in the dispersion theory
of finite size atoms. We demonstrate that a correct, and non-perturbative,
theory dramatically alters the dispersion selfenergies of atoms. The
non-perturbed theory gives as much as 100% corrections compared to the
traditional series expanded theory for the smaller noble gas atoms.Comment: 3 pages, no figures, 1 tabl
Mode-by-mode summation for the zero point electromagnetic energy of an infinite cylinder
Using the mode-by-mode summation technique the zero point energy of the
electromagnetic field is calculated for the boundary conditions given on the
surface of an infinite solid cylinder. It is assumed that the dielectric and
magnetic characteristics of the material which makes up the cylinder
and of that which makes up the surroundings obey the relation . With this
assumption all the divergences cancel. The divergences are regulated by making
use of zeta function techniques. Numerical calculations are carried out for a
dilute dielectric cylinder and for a perfectly conducting cylindrical shell.
The Casimir energy in the first case vanishes, and in the second is in complete
agreement with that obtained by DeRaad and Milton who employed a Green's
function technique with an ultraviolet regulator.Comment: REVTeX, 16 pages, no figures and tables; transcription error in
previous version corrected, giving a zero Casimir energy for a tenuous
cylinde
Casimir Energy for a Spherical Cavity in a Dielectric: Applications to Sonoluminescence
In the final few years of his life, Julian Schwinger proposed that the
``dynamical Casimir effect'' might provide the driving force behind the
puzzling phenomenon of sonoluminescence. Motivated by that exciting suggestion,
we have computed the static Casimir energy of a spherical cavity in an
otherwise uniform material. As expected the result is divergent; yet a
plausible finite answer is extracted, in the leading uniform asymptotic
approximation. This result agrees with that found using zeta-function
regularization. Numerically, we find far too small an energy to account for the
large burst of photons seen in sonoluminescence. If the divergent result is
retained, it is of the wrong sign to drive the effect. Dispersion does not
resolve this contradiction. In the static approximation, the Fresnel drag term
is zero; on the mother hand, electrostriction could be comparable to the
Casimir term. It is argued that this adiabatic approximation to the dynamical
Casimir effect should be quite accurate.Comment: 23 pages, no figures, REVTe
Casimir attractive-repulsive transition in MEMS
Unwanted stiction in micro- and nanomechanical (NEMS/MEMS) systems due to
dispersion (van der Waals, or Casimir) forces is a significant hurdle in the
fabrication of systems with moving parts on these length scales. Introducing a
suitably dielectric liquid in the interspace between bodies has previously been
demonstrated to render dispersion forces repulsive, or even to switch sign as a
function of separation. Making use of recently available permittivity data
calculated by us we show that such a remarkable non-monotonic Casimir force,
changing from attractive to repulsive as separation increases, can in fact be
observed in systems where constituent materials are in standard NEMS/MEMS use
requiring no special or exotic materials. No such nonmonotonic behaviour has
been measured to date. We calculate the force between a silica sphere and a
flat surface of either zinc oxide or hafnia, two materials which are among the
most prominent for practical microelectrical and microoptical devices. Our
results explicate the need for highly accurate permittivity functions of the
materials involved for frequencies from optical to far-infrared frequencies. A
careful analysis of the Casimir interaction is presented, and we show how the
change in the sign of the interaction can be understood as a result of multiple
crossings of the dielectric functions of the three media involved in a given
set-up.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Observability of the Bulk Casimir Effect: Can the Dynamical Casimir Effect be Relevant to Sonoluminescence?
The experimental observation of intense light emission by acoustically
driven, periodically collapsing bubbles of air in water (sonoluminescence) has
yet to receive an adequate explanation. One of the most intriguing ideas is
that the conversion of acoustic energy into photons occurs quantum
mechanically, through a dynamical version of the Casimir effect. We have argued
elsewhere that in the adiabatic approximation, which should be reliable here,
Casimir or zero-point energies cannot possibly be large enough to be relevant.
(About 10 MeV of energy is released per collapse.) However, there are
sufficient subtleties involved that others have come to opposite conclusions.
In particular, it has been suggested that bulk energy, that is, simply the
naive sum of , which is proportional to the volume, could
be relevant. We show that this cannot be the case, based on general principles
as well as specific calculations. In the process we further illuminate some of
the divergence difficulties that plague Casimir calculations, with an example
relevant to the bag model of hadrons.Comment: 13 pages, REVTe
Non-Perturbative Theory of Dispersion Interactions
Some open questions exist with fluctuation-induced forces between extended
dipoles. Conventional intuition derives from large-separation perturbative
approximations to dispersion force theory. Here we present a full
non-perturbative theory. In addition we discuss how one can take into account
finite dipole size corrections. It is of fundamental value to investigate the
limits of validity of the perturbative dispersion force theory.Comment: 9 pages, no figure
Finite Temperature Casimir Effect and Dispersion in the Presence of Compactified Extra Dimensions
Finite temperature Casimir theory of the Dirichlet scalar field is developed,
assuming that there is a conventional Casimir setup in physical space with two
infinitely large plates separated by a gap R and in addition an arbitrary
number q of extra compacified dimensions. As a generalization of earlier
theory, we assume in the first part of the paper that there is a scalar
'refractive index' N filling the whole of the physical space region. After
presenting general expressions for free energy and Casimir forces we focus on
the low temperature case, as this is of main physical interest both for force
measurements and also for issues related to entropy and the Nernst theorem.
Thereafter, in the second part we analyze dispersive properties, assuming for
simplicity q=1, by taking into account dispersion associated with the first
Matsubara frequency only. The medium-induced contribution to the free energy,
and pressure, is calculated at low temperatures.Comment: 25 pages, one figure. Minor changes in the discussion. Version to
appear in Physica Script
Casimir Force on Real Materials - the Slab and Cavity Geometry
We analyse the potential of the geometry of a slab in a planar cavity for the
purpose of Casimir force experiments. The force and its dependence on
temperature, material properties and finite slab thickness are investigated
both analytically and numerically for slab and walls made of aluminium and
teflon FEP respectively. We conclude that such a setup is ideal for
measurements of the temperature dependence of the Casimir force. By numerical
calculation it is shown that temperature effects are dramatically larger for
dielectrics, suggesting that a dielectric such as teflon FEP whose properties
vary little within a moderate temperature range, should be considered for
experimental purposes. We finally discuss the subtle but fundamental matter of
the various Green's two-point function approaches present in the literature and
show how they are different formulations describing the same phenomenon.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures; expanded discussion, one appendix added, 1 new
figure and 10 new references. To appear in J. Phys. A: Math. Theo
The Impact of White Pine (Pinus strobus) on a Mollisol After Seven Decades of Soil Development
Selected chemical, physical, and macro and micromorphological properties in two pedons of a Clarion soil (Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Hapludolls) formed in till parent material, one planted to white pines (Pinus strobus) for the past 75 years and the other to grass, were compared. The most obvious difference between the two was the increased biological activity under pines; the variety and quantity of excrements suggested the activity of soil microfauna and variability of species resulted in finer and better aggregation of biological origin (crumbs and granules), numerous excrements in voids, and higher total porosity under pines. The matrix was lighter colored in the upper horizons under pines. The soil under pines seemed to be drier and to have more expressed water oscillations in the middle part of profile. There was some evidence of higher groundmass activity in the soil under pines and the groundmass b-fabric was slightly better expressed. The soil under the pines exhibited evidence of stronger weathering (weathered biotite at a shallower depth, more iron-rich fine fraction, common amorphous iron impregnation and frequent amorphous iron coatings related to grains or pores together with abundant iron nodules) than the soil under grass. Analytical and micromorphology methods showed only slight changes in the Clarion soil under pines. That means 75 years, at least under the prevailing climate, is too short a period for the formation of pronounced morphological and physico-chemical differences
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