Violation of the Nernst heat theorem in the theory of the thermal Casimir force between Drude metals

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.69.022119· OSTI ID:20640692

Bezerra, V B; Klimchitskaya, G L; Mostepanenko, V M; Romero, C ^[1]

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1. Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Caixa Postal 5008, CEP 58059-970, Joao Pessoa, Paraiba (Brazil)

We give a rigorous analytical derivation of low-temperature behavior of the Casimir entropy in the framework of the Lifshitz formula combined with the Drude dielectric function. An earlier result that the Casimir entropy at zero temperature is not equal to zero and depends on the parameters of the system is confirmed, i.e., the third law of thermodynamics (the Nernst heat theorem) is violated. We illustrate the resolution of this thermodynamical puzzle in the context of the surface impedance approach by several calculations of the thermal Casimir force and entropy for both real metals and dielectrics. Different representations for the impedances, which are equivalent for real photons, are discussed. Finally, we argue in favor of the Leontovich boundary condition which leads to results for the thermal Casimir force that are consistent with thermodynamics.

• OSTI ID: 20640692
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 69; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
CASIMIR EFFECT
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ENTROPY
IMPEDANCE
NERNST HEAT THEOREM
OPTICS
PHOTONS
RESOLUTION
SURFACES
THERMODYNAMICS