Quantum electrodynamics in the presence of dielectrics and conductors. II. Theory of dispersion forces

1975 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 243-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. S. Agarwal
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Electrodynamics ◽  
Dispersion Forces

scholarly journals DISPERSION FORCES AND DUALITY

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (08n09) ◽  
pp. 1796-1803 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEFAN YOSHI BUHMANN ◽  
STEFAN SCHEEL ◽  
HASSAN SAFARI ◽  
DIRK-GUNNAR WELSCH
Keyword(s):  
Electromagnetic Field ◽  
Quantum Electrodynamics ◽  
Dispersion Forces ◽  
Green Tensor ◽  
Response Functions ◽  
Casimir Forces ◽  
Duality Transformation ◽  
Symmetry Principle ◽  
Electric And Magnetic Fields ◽  
Free Electromagnetic Field

We formulate a symmetry principle on the basis of the duality of electric and magnetic fields and apply it to dispersion forces. Within the context of macroscopic quantum electrodynamics, we rigorously establish duality invariance for the free electromagnetic field in the presence of causal magnetoelectrics. Dispersion forces are given in terms of the Green tensor for the electromagnetic field and the atomic response functions. After discussing the behavior of the Green tensor under a duality transformation, we are able to show that Casimir forces on bodies in free space as well as local-field corrected Casimir–Polder and van der Waals forces are duality invariant.

scholarly journals Macroscopic quantum electrodynamics - Concepts and applications

2008 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Scheel ◽  
Stefan Buhmann
Keyword(s):  
Electromagnetic Fields ◽  
Quantum Electrodynamics ◽  
Dispersion Forces ◽  
Macroscopic Quantum ◽  
Atomic Systems ◽  
Mode Expansion ◽  
Field Coupling ◽  
Relaxation Effects ◽  
Atomic Relaxation ◽  
Standard Mode

Macroscopic quantum electrodynamics - Concepts and applicationsIn this article, we review the principles of macroscopic quantum electrodynamics and discuss a variety of applications of this theory to medium-assisted atom-field coupling and dispersion forces. The theory generalises the standard mode expansion of the electromagnetic fields in free space to allow for the presence of absorbing bodies. We show that macroscopic quantum electrodynamics provides the link between isolated atomic systems and magnetoelectric bodies, and serves as an important tool for the understanding of surface-assisted atomic relaxation effects and the intimately connected position-dependent energy shifts which give rise to Casimir—Polder and van der Waals forces.

scholarly journals Gravitational Dispersion Forces and Gravity Quantization

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Gravitational Field ◽  
Quantum Electrodynamics ◽  
Casimir Effect ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Evolutionary Process ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Dispersion Forces ◽  
Semiclassical Theory ◽  
Mixed Potentials ◽  
Full Quantum

The parallel development of the theories of electrodynamical and gravitational dispersion forces reveals important differences. The former arose earlier than the formulation of quantum electrodynamics so that expressions for the unretarded, van der Waals forces were obtained by treating the field as classical. Even after the derivation of quantum electrodynamics, semiclassical considerations continued to play a critical role in the interpretation of the full results, including in the retarded regime. On the other hand, recent predictions about the existence of gravitational dispersion forces were obtained without any consideration that the gravitational field might be fundamentally classical. This is an interesting contrast, as several semiclassical theories of electrodynamical dispersion forces exist although the electromagnetic field is well known to be quantized, whereas no semiclassical theory of gravitational dispersion forces was ever developed although a full quantum theory of gravity is lacking. In the first part of this paper, we explore this evolutionary process from a historical point of view, stressing that the existence of a Casimir effect is insufficient to demonstrate that a field is quantized. In the second part of the paper, we show that the recently published results about gravitational dispersion forces can be obtained without quantizing the gravitational field. This is done first in the unretarded regime by means of Margenau’s treatment of multipole dispersion forces, also obtaining mixed potentials. These results are extended to the retarded regime by generalizing to the gravitational field the approach originally proposed by McLachlan. The paper closes with a discussion of experimental challenges and philosophical implications connected to gravitational dispersion forces.

Energy, Information, and Superluminal Speed in Quantum Electrodynamics

2020 ◽  
pp. 27-33
Author(s):  
Boris A. Veklenko
Keyword(s):  
Electromagnetic Field ◽  
Perturbation Theory ◽  
Quantum Electrodynamics ◽  
Excited Atom ◽  
Standard Quantum ◽  
Energy Information

Without using the perturbation theory, the article demonstrates a possibility of superluminal information-carrying signals in standard quantum electrodynamics using the example of scattering of quantum electromagnetic field by an excited atom.

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