Van der Waals potentials of paramagnetic atoms

Abstract

We study single- and two-atom van der Waals interactions of ground-state atoms which are both polarizable and paramagnetizable in the presence of magneto-electric bodies within the framework of macroscopic quantum electrodynamics. Starting from an interaction Hamiltonian that includes particle spins, we use leading-order perturbation theory for the van der Waals potentials expressed in terms of the polarizability and magnetizability of the atom(s). To allow for atoms embedded in media, we also include local-field corrections via the real-cavity model. The general theory is applied to the potential of a single atom near a half space and that of two atoms embedded in a bulk medium or placed near a sphere, respectively.