Probing Quantum-Vacuum Geometrical Effects with Cold Atoms

Diego A. R. Dalvit, Paulo A. Maia Neto, Astrid Lambrecht, and Serge Reynaud
Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 040405 – Published 1 February 2008

Abstract

The lateral Casimir-Polder force between an atom and a corrugated surface should allow one to study experimentally nontrivial geometrical effects in the electromagnetic quantum vacuum. Here, we derive the theoretical expression of this force in the scattering approach. We show that large corrections to the “proximity force approximation” could be measured using present-day technology with a Bose-Einstein condensate used as a vacuum field sensor.

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  • Received 13 September 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.040405

©2008 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Diego A. R. Dalvit1, Paulo A. Maia Neto2, Astrid Lambrecht3, and Serge Reynaud3

  • 1Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
  • 2Instituto de Física, UFRJ, CP 68528, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-972, Brazil
  • 3Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Case 74, CNRS, ENS, UPMC, Campus Jussieu, F-75252 Paris Cedex 05, France

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Issue

Vol. 100, Iss. 4 — 1 February 2008

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