Naslov
Proof that Casimir force does not originate from vacuum energy

Autori
Nikolić, Hrvoje

Izvornik
Physics letters. B (0370-2693) 761 (2016); 197-202

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Casimir force ; vacuum energy ; van der Waals force

Sažetak
We present a simple general proof that Casimir force cannot originate from the vacuum energy of electromagnetic (EM) field. The full QED Hamiltonian consists of 3 terms: the pure electromagnetic term H_em, the pure matter term H_matt and the interaction term H_int. The H_em-term commutes with all matter fields because it does not have any explicit dependence on matter fields. As a consequence, H_em cannot generate any forces on matter. Since it is precisely this term that generates the vacuum energy of EM field, it follows that the vacuum energy does not generate the forces. The misleading statements in the literature that vacuum energy generates Casimir force can be boiled down to the fact that H_em attains an implicit dependence on matter fields by the use of the equations of motion and the illegitimate treatment of the implicit dependence as if it was explicit. The true origin of the Casimir force is van der Waals force generated by H_int.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Fizika

POVEZANOST RADA