Casimir effect for two lossy dispersive dielectric slabs

Abstract

The electromagnetic field is quantized using the Green's-function method for the geometry of a Fabry-Perot cavity, made up of two identical lossy dispersive slabs of finite thickness. The dielectric functions of the slabs are assumed to be an arbitrary complex function of frequency obeying causality requirements. The attractive Casimir force between the two slabs is calculated by the help of the latter field operators, via evaluating the difference between the vacuum pressures on both sides of each slab. Special attention is paid to the limiting case of the Casimir effect for two conducting plates. The Lorentz model of the dielectric function is used to demonstrate the variation of the force in terms of plasma frequency. The Casimir force expression is also related to the imaginary part of the response function. The latter expression is used to introduce the repulsive Casimir force between two conducting plates located inside a Fabry-Perot cavity.