2005/01/31 by Stefan Yoshi Buhmann, Ho Trung Dung, H. T. Dung +3
Physics and Astronomy · #Atom (system on chip) #Atomic physics #Casimir effect #Classical mechanics #Condensed matter physics #Coupling (piping) #Excited state #Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies #Ground state #Lorentz force #Magnetic field #Materials science #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Physics #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #Quantum electrodynamics #Quantum mechanics #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1140/epjd/e2005-00044-6
published as European Physical Journal D 35 (1), 15 (2005) · 16 pages, 6 figures, minor additions and corrections
openalex publication_date 2005/04/11 · arxiv created 2005/04/18 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
A general theory of the Casimir-Polder interaction of single atoms with dispersing and absorbing magnetodielectric bodies is presented, which is based on QED in linear, causal media. Both ground-state and excited atoms are considered. Whereas the Casimir-Polder force acting on a ground-state atom can conveniently be derived from a perturbative calculation of the atom-field coupling energy, an atom in an excited state is subject to transient force components that can only be fully understood by a dynamical treatment based on the body-assisted vacuum Lorentz force. The results show that the Casimir-Polder force can be influenced by the body-induced broadening and shifting of atomic transitions - an effect that is not accounted for within lowest-order perturbation theory. The theory is used to study the Casimir-Polder force of a ground-state atom placed within a magnetodielectric multilayer system, with special emphasis on thick and thin plates as well as a planar cavity consisting of two thick plates. It is shown how the competing attractive and repulsive force components related to the electric and magnetic properties of the medium, respectively, can - for sufficiently strong magnetic properties - lead to the formation of potential walls and wells.