Abstract
We analyse the van der Waals interaction of a neutral atom with the internal and external surfaces of either a metal or dielectric nanosphere. We derive closed analytical equations for the van der Waals interaction energy using an electrostatic approximation and show that the energy increases or decreases as a function of the atom's distance from the surface, depending on the surface curvature. For concave spherical surfaces, the van der Waals energy can increase by up to a factor of 6, while for convex surfaces it decreases by as much as a factor of 2, when compared to that obtained for a flat surface. The derived analytical equations are very simple and can be used for a comparison between theory and experimental measurements of the van der Waals constant, C3.
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