dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaCasimir Force between a Small Dielectric Sphere and a Dielectric Wall
| Authors | V. Sopova, L. H. Ford |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0406012 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0406012 |
| DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevA.70.062109 |
| Journal | Phys.Rev. A70 (2004) 062109 |
Abstract
The possibility of repulsive Casimir forces between small metal spheres and a dielectric half-space is discussed. We treat a model in which the spheres have a dielectric function given by the Drude model, and the radius of the sphere is small compared to the corresponding plasma wavelength. The half-space is also described by the same model, but with a different plasma frequency. We find that in the retarded limit, the force is quasi-oscillatory. This leads to the prediction of stable equilibrium points at which the sphere could levitate in the Earth's gravitational field. This seems to lead to the possibility of an experimental test of the model. The effects of finite temperature on the force are also studied, and found to be rather small at room temperature. However, thermally activated transitions between equilibrium points could be significant at room temperature.
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"abstract": "The possibility of repulsive Casimir forces between small metal spheres and a\ndielectric half-space is discussed. We treat a model in which the spheres have\na dielectric function given by the Drude model, and the radius of the sphere is\nsmall compared to the corresponding plasma wavelength. The half-space is also\ndescribed by the same model, but with a different plasma frequency. We find\nthat in the retarded limit, the force is quasi-oscillatory. This leads to the\nprediction of stable equilibrium points at which the sphere could levitate in\nthe Earth\u0027s gravitational field. This seems to lead to the possibility of an\nexperimental test of the model. The effects of finite temperature on the force\nare also studied, and found to be rather small at room temperature. However,\nthermally activated transitions between equilibrium points could be significant\nat room temperature.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0406012",
"authors": [
"V. Sopova",
"L. H. Ford"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph",
"hep-th",
"physics.atom-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1103/PhysRevA.70.062109",
"journal_ref": "Phys.Rev. A70 (2004) 062109",
"title": "Casimir Force between a Small Dielectric Sphere and a Dielectric Wall",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0406012"
},
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