STATE OF THE QUANTUM VACUUM, THE

This review volume is intended to survey the field of quantum fluctuational phenomena induced by material bodies, which is commonly encompassed under the name of Casimir physics. H B G Casimir first discovered that zero-point fluctuations in the electromagnetic field caused an attractive force between closely separated metallic plates. Now — 75 years later — the field is burgeoning, with numerous experimental verifications and applications to practical devices starting to emerge.

In this book, new ideas about Casimir physics are brought to bear on such diverse subjects as cosmology, where the Casimir energy may explain the dark energy that causes the cosmic repulsion, and nonstatic regimes, such as Casimir or quantum friction. Unsolved problems, including divergences in Casimir self-energies, the meaning of local energy densities in inhomogeneous backgrounds, and discrepancies between theory and experiment, are treated in some detail. It is hoped that this collection of papers will serve as an introduction to the field for newcomers to the subject, and that it will inspire a new burst of research into the nature of the quantum vacuum.

Contents:

• Casimir Effect Between Spherical Objects: Proximity-Force Approximation and Beyond Using Plane Waves (T Schoger, B Spreng, G-L Ingold and P A Maia Neto)
• Universal Casimir Interactions in the Sphere–Sphere Geometry (T Schoger, B Spreng, G-L Ingold, A Lambrecht, P A Maia Neto and S Reynaud)
• Current Status of the Problem of Thermal Casimir Force (G L Klimchitskaya and V M Mostepanenko)
• The Casimir Effect in Graphene Systems: Experiment and Theory (G L Klimchitskaya, U Mohideen and V M Mostepanenko)
• Problems in Measuring the Casimir Forces at Short Separations (G Palasantzas and V B Svetovoy)
• Recent Developments on the Casimir Torque (B Spreng, T Gong and J N Munday)
• Quantum Fluctuations of Fields and Stress Tensors (L H Ford)
• Vacuum Energy Density and Pressure Inside a Soft Wall (A Shayit, S A Fulling, T E Settlemyre and J Merritt)
• Possible Connection Between Time-Splitting Parameter and Surface Tension in Casimir-Type Problems (I Brevik)
• Fluctuational Electrodynamics In and Out of Equilibrium (I Brevik, B Shapiro and M G Silveirinha)
• How Modes Shape Casimir Physics (F Intravaia)
• Quantum Vacuum Phenomena in Various Backgrounds (A Flachi)
• Quantum Corrections to Soliton Energies (N Graham and H Weigel)
• Casimir Cosmology (U Leonhardt)

Readership: Graduate students and researchers in Physics interested in the Casimir effect and its applications.