5 research outputs found
Casimir torque between corrugated metallic plates
We consider two parallel corrugated plates and show that a Casimir torque
arises when the corrugation directions are not aligned. We follow the
scattering approach and calculate the Casimir energy up to second order in the
corrugation amplitudes, taking into account nonspecular reflections,
polarization mixing and the finite conductivity of the metals. We compare our
results with the proximity force approximation, which overestimates the torque
by a factor 2 when taking the conditions that optimize the effect. We argue
that the Casimir torque could be measured for separation distances as large as
1 Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, contribution to QFEXT07 proceeding
Lateral Casimir-Polder force with corrugated surfaces
We derive the lateral Casimir-Polder force on a ground state atom on top of a
corrugated surface, up to first order in the corrugation amplitude. Our
calculation is based on the scattering approach, which takes into account
nonspecular reflections and polarization mixing for electromagnetic quantum
fluctuations impinging on real materials. We compare our first order exact
result with two commonly used approximation methods. We show that the proximity
force approximation (large corrugation wavelengths) overestimates the lateral
force, while the pairwise summation approach underestimates it due to the
non-additivity of dispersion forces. We argue that a frequency shift
measurement for the dipolar lateral oscillations of cold atoms could provide a
striking demonstration of nontrivial geometrical effects on the quantum vacuum.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, contribution to QFEXT07 proceeding
Disorder in quantum vacuum: Casimir-induced localization of matter waves
Disordered geometrical boundaries such as rough surfaces induce important
modifications to the mode spectrum of the electromagnetic quantum vacuum. In
analogy to Anderson localization of waves induced by a random potential, here
we show that the Casimir-Polder interaction between a cold atomic sample and a
rough surface also produces localization phenomena. These effects, that
represent a macroscopic manifestation of disorder in quantum vacuum, should be
observable with Bose-Einstein condensates expanding in proximity of rough
surfaces
Casimir energy and geometry : beyond the Proximity Force Approximation
We review the relation between Casimir effect and geometry, emphasizing
deviations from the commonly used Proximity Force Approximation (PFA). We use
to this aim the scattering formalism which is nowadays the best tool available
for accurate and reliable theory-experiment comparisons. We first recall the
main lines of this formalism when the mirrors can be considered to obey
specular reflection. We then discuss the more general case where non planar
mirrors give rise to non-specular reflection with wavevectors and field
polarisations mixed. The general formalism has already been fruitfully used for
evaluating the effect of roughness on the Casimir force as well as the lateral
Casimir force or Casimir torque appearing between corrugated surfaces. In this
short review, we focus our attention on the case of the lateral force which
should make possible in the future an experimental demonstration of the
nontrivial (i.e. beyond PFA) interplay of geometry and Casimir effect.Comment: corrected typos, added references, QFEXT'07 special issue in J. Phys.
Recent Developments in the Casimir Effect
In this talk I review various developments in the past year concerning
quantum vacuum energy, the Casimir effect. In particular, there has been
continuing controversy surrounding the temperature correction to the Lifshitz
formula for the Casimir force between real materials, be they metals or
semiconductors. Consensus has emerged as to how Casimir energy accelerates in a
weak gravitational field; quantum vacuum energy, including the divergent parts
which renormalize the masses of the Casimir plates, accelerates indeed
according to the equivalence principle. Significant development has been
forthcoming in applying the multiple scattering formalism to describe the
interaction between nontrivial objects. In weak coupling, closed-form
expressions for the Casimir force between the bodies, which for example reveal
significant discrepancies from the naive proximity force approximation, can be
achieved in many cases.Comment: 29 pages, 14 figures, uses jpconf.cls style. Invited opening talk at
"60 Years of the Casimir Effect," Brasilia, June 21-29, 200