Electromagnetic-field fluctuations near a dielectric-vacuum boundary and surface divergences in the ideal conductor limit

Year: 2012

Authors: Bartolo N., Passante R.

Autors Affiliation: INO-CNR BEC Center and Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento, Via Sommarive 14, I-38123 Povo, Trento, Italy;Dipartimento di Fisica dell\’Università degli Studi di Palermo and CNISM, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo, Italy

Abstract: We consider the electric-and magnetic-field fluctuations in the vacuum state in the region external to a half space filled with a homogeneous nondissipative dielectric. We discuss an appropriate limit to an ideal metal and concentrate our interest on the renormalized field fluctuations, or equivalently on the renormalized electric and magnetic energy densities, in the proximity of the dielectric-vacuum interface. We show that surface divergences of field fluctuations arise at the interface in an appropriate ideal conductor limit, and that our limiting procedure allows us to discuss their structure in detail. Field fluctuations close to the surface can be investigated through the retarded Casimir-Polder interaction with an appropriate polarizable body.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW A

Volume: 86 (1)      Pages from: 12122-1  to: 12122-6

More Information: The authors acknowledge support from the ESF Research Networking Program CASIMIR. Financial support by Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Universita e della Ricerca and by Comitato Regionale di Ricerche Nucleari e di Struttura della Materia is also acknowledged.
KeyWords: forces; waves;
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.86.012122

Citations: 18
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