DOI: 10.1209/epl/i2002-00154-7


Europhys. Lett., 59 (1) , pp. 21-27 (2002)

Molecular resonance interaction in channels

M. Boström, J. J. Longdell and B. W. Ninham

Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physical Sciences The Australian National University - Canberra, Australia 0200

(Received 7 January 2002; accepted in final form 4 April 2002)

Abstract
A theory is presented for the retarded resonance interaction between two identical molecules in an excited configuration in channels with dielectric, or ideal metallic walls. The boundaries have a strong influence on the interaction. For dielectric walls this is illustrated numerically, for metallic walls analytically. Near a single metallic surface and in free space the long-range retarded interaction is . At the mid-plane of a narrow cavity with conducting walls it decays more slowly being . In a cavity the interaction can change from a long-range attraction to short-ranged repulsion. This circumstance gives rise to bound states wherein molecules can be trapped, while energy is transferred between the molecules.

PACS
34.20.Gj - Intermolecular and atom-molecule potentials and forces.
34.30.+h - Intramolecular energy transfer; intramolecular dynamics; dynamics of van der Waals molecules.
33.80.-b - Photon interactions with molecules.


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