Dispersion forces between an atom and a perfectly conducting wedge

TL;DR

This paper investigates the dispersion forces acting on an atom near a perfectly conducting wedge, analyzing both retarded and non-retarded regimes using a master equation formalism.

Contribution

It introduces a formalism to compute dispersion forces between an atom and a conducting wedge, extending understanding of atom-surface interactions in complex geometries.

Findings

Dispersion force calculations for atom-wedge configuration

Analysis of retarded and non-retarded regimes

Application of master equation formalism

Abstract

We consider the interaction between an electrically polarizable atom in its fundamental state and a wedge constituted by two semi-infinite perfectly conducting plates. Using a formalism based on a master equation, we compute the dispersion force on the atom for both retarded and non-retarded regimes.