Critical Reflections on the Fundamentals of the Casimir-Lifshitz Force Theory

摘要

The Casimir force, i.e. the attractive force between closely proximate ideal reflectors, involving the zero-point energy of the electro-magnetic field, has been widely discussed in the literature, particularly within the general formalism of quantum field theory. Here we show that alternative rigorous derivations can be given by means of a straightforward evaluation of Maxwell's stress tensor applied to the cavity field. After a short review of our previous standing-wave approach to the Casimir force problem, we consider Lifshitz's method using a temperature Green's function, and its virtues from a physical viewpoint Using his formula, specialized for perfectly reflecting mirrors, we present a quantitative discussion of the temperature effect on the attractive force.