Thermal corrections in the Casimir interaction between a metal and dielectric
- Center of Theoretical Studies and Institute for Theoretical Physics, Leipzig University, Augustusplatz 10/11, D-04109 Leipzig (Germany)
The Casimir interaction between two thick parallel plates, one made of metal and the other of a dielectric, is investigated at nonzero temperature. It is shown that in some temperature intervals the Casimir pressure and the free energy of a fluctuating field are nonmonotonic functions of temperature and the corresponding Casimir entropy can be negative. A physical interpretation for these conclusions is given. At the same time we demonstrate that the entropy vanishes when the temperature goes to zero, i.e., in the Casimir interaction between a metal and a dielectric the Nernst heat theorem is satisfied. The investigation is performed both analytically, by using the model of an ideal metal and dilute dielectric or dielectric with a frequency-independent dielectric permittivity, and numerically for a real metal (Au) and dielectrics with different behaviors of the dielectric permittivity along the imaginary frequency axis (Si and {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3})
- OSTI ID:
- 20718057
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. A, Vol. 72, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.72.022111; (c) 2005 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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