Reconsidering the quantization of electrodynamics with boundary conditions and some measurable consequences

We show that the commonly known conductor boundary conditions $E_{||}=B_{\perp }=0$ can be realized in two ways which we call “thick” and “thin” conductor. The thick conductor is the commonly known approach and includes a Neumann condition on the normal component $E_{\perp }$ of the electric field whereas for a thin conductor $E_{\perp }$ remains without boundary condition. Both types describe different physics already on the classical level where a thin conductor allows for an interaction between the normal components of currents on both sides. On quantum level different forces between a conductor and a single electron or a neutral atom result. For instance, the Casimir-Polder force for a thin conductor is by about 13% smaller than for a thick one.