Casimir-Polder interaction in second quantization

The Casimir-Polder interaction between a single neutral atom and a nearby surface, arising from the (quantum and thermal) fluctuations of the electromagnetic field, is a cornerstone of cavity quantum electrodynamics (cQED), and theoretically well established. Recently, Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) of ultracold atoms have been used to test the predictions of cQED. The purpose of the present thesis is to upgrade single-atom cQED with the many-body theory needed to describe trapped atomic BECs. Tools and methods are developed in a second-quantized picture that treats atom and photon fields on the same footing. We formulate a diagrammatic expansion using correlation functions for both the electromagnetic field and the atomic system. The formalism is applied to investigate, for BECs trapped near surfaces, dispersion interactions of the van der Waals-Casimir-Polder type, and the Bosonic stimulation in spontaneous decay of excited atomic states. We also discuss a phononic Casimir effect, which arises from the quantum fluctuations in an interacting BEC.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Potsdam

Year

2011

Author dc:creator

• Schiefele, Jürgen

Contributors dc:contributor

• Henkel, Carsten

• Hohlraum-Quantenelektrodynamik
• Bose-Einstein-Kondensation
• Casimir-Polder-Interaktion
• Vakuumschwankungen
• van der Waals-Kräfte
• cavity quantum electrodynamics
• Bose-Einstein condensation
• Casimir-Polder interaction
• vacuum fluctuations
• van der Waals forces

Statement dc:rights

• Creative Commons - Namensnennung, Nicht kommerziell, Weitergabe zu gleichen Bedingungen 3.0 Deutschland

Repository record source_url

https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/5358

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kobv.de-opus4-uni-potsdam:5358