Probing quantum vacuum geometrical effects with cold atoms

TL;DR

This paper proposes using cold atoms, specifically Bose-Einstein condensates, to experimentally measure geometrical effects in quantum vacuum via the lateral Casimir-Polder force, highlighting significant deviations from traditional approximations.

Contribution

The authors derive a scattering approach to calculate the lateral Casimir-Polder force considering surface optical properties, enabling experimental detection of quantum vacuum geometrical effects.

Findings

Large corrections to the proximity force approximation are measurable with current technology.

Bose-Einstein condensates can serve as sensitive vacuum field sensors.

Theoretical framework accounts for surface optical properties in force calculations.

Abstract

The lateral Casimir-Polder force between an atom and a corrugated surface should allow one to study experimentally non trivial geometrical effects in quantum vacuum. Here, we derive the theoretical expression of this force in a scattering approach that accounts for the optical properties of the corrugated surface. 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.