The Casimir force between real materials: experiment and theory

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent experimental and theoretical advances in understanding the Casimir force between real materials, addressing challenges and providing insights into dispersion forces and Lifshitz theory applications.

Contribution

It critically assesses approaches to resolving puzzles in Lifshitz theory and compares experimental results with theoretical predictions for macroscopic and atomic-scale forces.

Findings

Experimental measurements of Casimir and Casimir-Polder forces align with refined theoretical models.

Identification of key challenges in applying Lifshitz theory to real materials.

Guidance for future experiments and theoretical developments in dispersion force research.

Abstract

The physical origin of the Casimir force is connected with the existence of zero-point and thermal fluctuations. The Casimir effect is very general and finds applications in various fields of physics. This review is limited to the rapid progress at the intersection of experiment and theory that has been achieved in the last few years. It includes a critical assessment of the proposed approaches to the resolution of the puzzles arising in the applications of the Lifshitz theory of the van der Waals and Casimir forces to real materials. All the primary experiments on the measurement of the Casimir force between macroscopic bodies and the Casimir-Polder force between an atom and a wall that have been performed in the last decade are reviewed, including the theory needed for their interpretation. The methodology for the comparison between experiment and theory in the force-distance measurements is presented. The experimental and theoretical results described here provide a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of dispersion forces in real materials and offer guidance for the application of Lifshitz theory for the interpretation of the measurement results.