Abstract
We predict a repulsive Casimir–Polder-type dispersion interaction between a single neutron and a metal or dielectric surface. We consider a scenario where a single neutron is subject to an external magnetic field. Due to its intrinsic magnetic moment, the neutron then forms a magnetisable two-level system which can exchange virtual photons with a nearby surface. The resulting dispersion interaction between a purely magnetic object (neutron) and a purely electric one (surface) is found to be repulsive, in contrast to the typical attractive interaction between electric objects. Its magnitude is considerably smaller than the standard atom–surface Casimir–Polder force due to the magnetic nature of the interaction and the smallness of the electron-to-neutron mass ratio. Nevertheless, we show that it can be comparable to the gravitational potential of the same surface and should be taken into consideration in future neutron interference experiments.
Highlights
As originally conceived by Casimir, the attractive electromagnetic force between two perfectly conducting parallel plates is a consequence of the quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field which persist even when the field is in its vacuum state of zero temperature [1]
After Casimir’s seminal work, it was predicted by Boyer that the force between a perfectly conducting plate and an infinitely permeable one is repulsive [5]. This is due to the different boundary conditions that electric vs magnetic mirrors place on the electromagnetic field [6]: the force depends on the product of the reflection coefficients of the two plates and is attractive for two electric or two magnetic mirrors and repulsive for two mirrors of different type
As illustrated in figure 1, we consider a single neutron at position rN, which is at a distance z from a homogeneous metal or dielectric plate of electric permittivity ε(ω) which is infinitely thick and infinitely extended in the lateral dimensions
Summary
Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Valentin Gebhart1,5 , Juliane Klatt1,6 , Gunther Cronenberg2 , Hanno Filter2,3 and Stefan Yoshi Buhmann1,4,∗ Keywords: quantum electrodynamics, quantum description of interaction of light and matter, quantum optical phenomena in absorbing, amplifying, dispersive and conducting media, atom and neutron interferometry
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