Recent solution to the Casimir puzzle awaits its experimental confirmation

TL;DR

The paper discusses a potential resolution to the Casimir puzzle, suggesting the Drude model's applicability to certain wave types and proposing an experiment to test this hypothesis, with implications for understanding electromagnetic responses near metals.

Contribution

It proposes that the Drude model can be valid for transverse electric evanescent waves in Casimir force calculations and suggests an experiment to verify this hypothesis.

Findings

Calculations support Drude model use for propagating and TM evanescent waves.

Proposed experiment aims to test Drude model validity for TE evanescent waves.

Comparison with graphene suggests a double pole may explain plasma model success.

Abstract

The plausible resolution of the Casimir puzzle implying that the dissipative Drude model is not applicable in the area of transverse electric evanescent waves is discussed. Calculations show that for the propagating waves, as well for the evanescent waves with transverse magnetic polarization, the Drude model can beused in calculations of the Casimir force by the Lifshitz theory with no contradictions with the measurement data. The lateral component of magnetic field of the magnetic dipole oscillating near a metallic surface is computed for the parameters of experiment in preparation which is aimed to directly check the validity of the Drude model in the area of transverse electric evanescent waves. By comparing with the case of graphene, whose dielectric response is spatially nonlocal and possesses the double pole at zero frequency, it is hypothesized that the success of the dissipationless plasma model in this area is also caused by the presence of a double pole.