We develop a quantum theory of near-field electrodynamical properties of
carbon nanotubes and investigate spontaneous decay dynamics of excited states
and van der Waals attraction of the ground state of an atomic system close to a
single-wall nanotube surface. Atomic spontaneous decay exhibits vacuum-field
Rabi oscillations -- a principal signature of strong atom-vacuum-field
coupling. The strongly coupled atomic state is nothing but a 'quasi-1D cavity
polariton'. Its stability is mainly determined by the atom-nanotube van der
Waals interaction. Our calculations of the ground-state atom van der Waals
energy performed within a universal quantum mechanical approach valid for both
weak and strong atom-field coupling demonstrate the inapplicability of
conventional weak-coupling-based van der Waals interaction models in a close
vicinity of the nanotube surface.Comment: Book Chapter. 50 pages, 11 figures. To be published in "Nanotubes:
New Research", edited by F.Columbus (Nova Science, New York, 2005
