A model generally describing vacuum state forces

The model describes the measurements between the Casimir-Lifshitz forces both in attracted and repulsive experiments.
The model describes the measurements between the Casimir-Lifshitz forces both in attracted and repulsive experiments.
Research
(11/04/2016)

Electromagnetic field quantum fluctuations in the narrow gap between two neutral bodies create one of natureʼs most fascinating phenomenon: the well-known Casimir effect (Hendrik Casimir, 1948), which is based on the attraction between these two bodies. These forces, which can be either attracted or repulsed, are known as Casimir-Lifshitz and have been experimentally proven for the last decade. Although they are negligible at a macroscopic level, their influence can be large at a nanoscale.

The model describes the measurements between the Casimir-Lifshitz forces both in attracted and repulsive experiments.
The model describes the measurements between the Casimir-Lifshitz forces both in attracted and repulsive experiments.
Research
11/04/2016

Electromagnetic field quantum fluctuations in the narrow gap between two neutral bodies create one of natureʼs most fascinating phenomenon: the well-known Casimir effect (Hendrik Casimir, 1948), which is based on the attraction between these two bodies. These forces, which can be either attracted or repulsed, are known as Casimir-Lifshitz and have been experimentally proven for the last decade. Although they are negligible at a macroscopic level, their influence can be large at a nanoscale.

Casimir: a new explanation

The magazine Physical Review letters published a project by researchers from the University of Barcelona. They presented a model which describes in an accurate way, the measurements between the Casimir-Lifshitz forces both in attracted and repulsive experiments.

The researchers propose a new approach to estimate the interaction force between these two surfaces separated by few nanometers. They have used the concept of photons and quantum uncertainty. This measure has enabled overcoming the difficulty given by the geometric configuration of the experimental setup. Therefore, the result is a generalized expression for the attractive and repulsive forces, and for arbitrary distance and temperature values.

The following researchers have taken part in this project: Miquel Rubí and Agustín Perez from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics of UB, and Luciano C. Lapas from the Latin American Federal Integration University (Brasil).

 

Reference:

L. C. Lapas, A. Pérez Madrid, M. Rubí. "Theory of Casimir forces without the proximity-force approximation". Physical Review Letters, March 2016. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.110601