Quantum interference phenomena in the Casimir effect

Andrew A. Allocca, Justin H. Wilson, and Victor M. Galitski
Phys. Rev. A 91, 062512 – Published 29 June 2015

Abstract

We propose a definitive test of whether plates involved in Casimir experiments should be modeled with ballistic or diffusive electrons—a prominent controversy highlighted by a number of conflicting experiments. The unambiguous test we propose is a measurement of the Casimir force between a disordered quasi-two-dimensional metallic plate and a three-dimensional metallic system at low temperatures, in which disorder-induced weak-localization effects modify the well-known Drude result in an experimentally tunable way. We calculate the weak-localization correction to the Casimir force as a function of magnetic field and temperature and demonstrate that the quantum interference suppression of the Casimir force is a strong, observable effect. The coexistence of weak-localization suppression in electronic transport and Casimir pressure would lend credence to the Drude theory of the Casimir effect, while the lack of such correlation would indicate a fundamental problem with the existing theory. We also study mesoscopic disorder fluctuations in the Casimir effect and estimate the width of the distribution of Casmir energies due to disorder fluctuations.

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  • Received 16 February 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.91.062512

©2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Andrew A. Allocca1, Justin H. Wilson1,2, and Victor M. Galitski1,2

  • 1Joint Quantum Institute and Condensed Matter Theory Center, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742-4111, USA
  • 2School of Physics, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia

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Issue

Vol. 91, Iss. 6 — June 2015

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