Casimir force between a small dielectric sphere and a dielectric wall

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.70.062109· OSTI ID:20649898

Sopova, V; Ford, L H ^[1]

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1. Institute of Cosmology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155 (United States)

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 quasioscillatory. 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.

• OSTI ID: 20649898
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 70; 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
EQUILIBRIUM
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
LANGMUIR FREQUENCY
PERMITTIVITY
PLASMA
SPACE
SPHERES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
WAVELENGTHS