| Issue |
EPL
Volume 82, Number 6, June 2008
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 61002 | |
| Number of page(s) | 6 | |
| Section | The Physics of Elementary Particles and Fields | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075/82/61002 | |
| Published online | 03 June 2008 | |
Vacuum fluctuation forces between ultra-thin films
1
CNR/INFM-National Research Center on nanoStructures and bioSystems at Surfaces (S3) Via Campi 213/A, I-41100 Modena, Italy, EU
2
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia Via Campi 213/A, I-41100 Modena, Italy, EU
Corresponding author: andrea.benassi@unimore.it
Received:
17
March
2008
Accepted:
29
April
2008
We have investigated the role of the quantum size effects in the evaluation of the force caused by electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations
between ultra-thin films, using the dielectric tensor derived from the particle in a box model. Comparison with the results obtained by adopting a
continuum dielectric model shows that, for film thicknesses of 1
10 nm, the electron confinement causes changes in the force intensity with
respect to the isotropic plasma model which range from 40% to few percent depending upon the film electron density and the film separation. The
calculated force shows quantum size oscillations, which can be significant for film separation distances of several nanometers. The role of
electron confinement in reducing the large distance Casimir force is discussed.
PACS: 12.20.Ds – Quantum electrodynamics: Specific calculations / 68.65.Fg – Quantum wells / 64.60.an – Finite-size systems
© EPLA, 2008
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