Casimir effects in atomic, molecular, and optical physics

TL;DR

This paper compares long-range atomic and ionic interactions using the vacuum dressed atom formalism, providing insights into relativistic effects and higher multipolar contributions in Casimir-Polder forces.

Contribution

It introduces the vacuum dressed atom formalism as a framework to interpret similarities in long-range interactions between atoms and ions.

Findings

Comparable behaviors of atom-atom and ion-electron interactions at different separations

Insights into relativistic and multipolar contributions to Casimir-Polder forces

Application of the formalism enhances understanding of long-range quantum forces

Abstract

The long-range interaction between two atoms and the long-range interaction between an ion and an electron are compared at small and large intersystem separations. The vacuum dressed atom formalism is applied and found to provide a framework for interpretation of the similarities between the two cases. The van der Waals forces or Casimir-Polder potentials are used to obtain insight into relativistic and higher multipolar terms.