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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Temperature dependence of the magnetic Casimir-Polder interaction
Francesco IntravaiaRoberto PassanteCarsten HenkelB. PowerFernando SolsSalvatore SpagnoloHarald R. Haakhsubject
SuperconductivityPhysicsQuantum PhysicsPhase transitionMagnetic momentCondensed matter physicsFOS: Physical sciencesDissipationLondon dispersion forceAtomic and Molecular Physics and OpticsCondensed Matter - Other Condensed MatterCasimir effectDipoleCasimir-Polder force Casimir effect dispersion forcesQuantum Physics (quant-ph)Magnetic dipoleOther Condensed Matter (cond-mat.other)description
We analyze the magnetic dipole contribution to atom-surface dispersion forces. Unlike its electrical counterpart, it involves small transition frequencies that are comparable to thermal energy scales. A significant temperature dependence is found near surfaces with a nonzero DC conductivity, leading to a strong suppression of the dispersion force at T > 0. We use thermal response theory for the surface material and discuss both normal metals and superconductors. The asymptotes of the free energy of interaction and of the entropy are calculated analytically over a large range of distances. Near a superconductor, the onset of dissipation at the phase transition strongly changes the interaction, including a discontinuous entropy. We discuss the similarities with the Casimir interaction beween two surfaces and suggest that precision measurements of the atom-surface interaction may shed new light upon open questions around the temperature dependence of dispersion forces between lossy media.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-01 | Physical Review A |