The retarded van der Waals potential: Revisited

Journal Article · Wed Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Journal of Mathematical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3171922· OSTI ID:21294206

Miyao, Tadahiro ^[1]; Spohn, Herbert ^[2]

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1. Department of Mathematics and Physics, Setsunan University, Ikeda-Naka-Machi 17-8, Neyagawa 572-8508 (Japan)
2. Zentrum Mathematik, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, D-85747 Garching (Germany)

The retarded van der Waals potential, as first obtained by Casimir and Polder, is usually computed on the basis of nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics . The Hamiltonian describes two infinitely heavy nuclei, charge e, separated by a distance R and two spinless electrons, charge -e, nonrelativistically coupled to the quantized radiation field. Casimir and Polder used the dipole approximation and small coupling to the Maxwell field. We employ here the full Hamiltonian and determine the asymptotic strength of the leading -R{sup -7} potential, which is valid for all e. Our computation is based on a path integral representation and expands in 1/R, rather than in e.

• OSTI ID: 21294206
• Journal Information: Journal of Mathematical Physics, Vol. 50, Issue 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3171922; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0022-2488
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

97 MATHEMATICAL METHODS AND COMPUTING
APPROXIMATIONS
ASYMPTOTIC SOLUTIONS
CASIMIR EFFECT
DIPOLES
ELECTRONS
HAMILTONIANS
HEAVY NUCLEI
PATH INTEGRALS
POTENTIALS
QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS
VAN DER WAALS FORCES