Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1412.0040 · Europhysics Letters (EPL)

Casimir-Polder–induced Rabi oscillations

M. Donaire, M.–P. Gorza, A. Maury, R. Guérout, Astrid Lambrecht

Published Jan 1, 2015• 13 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We show that the Casimir-Polder interaction may induce coherent oscillations between degenerate atomic states.We illustrate this effect by computing the Casimir-Polder-induced Rabi frequency on a 87 Rb atom as it interacts with a reflecting surface.The atom oscillates between two Zeeman sublevels of its ground state undergoing a periodic exchange of angular momentum with the vacuum photons.

DOI
10.1209/0295-5075/109/24003

Related papers

Coherent effect of vacuum fluctuations on driven atoms

M. Donaire, Astrid Lambrecht

We study the coherent effect of the Casimir-Polder interaction on the oscillations of two-photon driven atoms. We find that, for oscillations between two degenerate states in $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ configuration, shifts on the Rabi frequency may be induced by nonadditive level shifts. For oscillations between two Rydberg states in ladder configuration, shifts on the Rabi frequency may be induced by the effective renormalization of the laser interaction.

arXiv:1504.05066•Physical Review A•Jul 22, 2015•3 citations

Casimir-Polder-induced Rydberg macrodimers

Johannes Block, Stefan Scheel

We theoretically investigate Rydberg atom pair potentials of Rb atoms in front of a perfectly conducting plate. The pair potentials are perturbed by both the Casimir-Polder potential acting on a single atom and the scattering contribution to the interatomic interaction. In contrast to the pair potentials in free space, at atom-surface distances ${d}_{s}\ensuremath{\lesssim}4\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$, avoided crossings appear. In the associated potential wells that are entirely due to dispersion interactions with the surface, there exist vibrational bound states, i.e., Rydberg macrodimers, with ground-state energies of up to $E=\ensuremath{-}68\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MHz}$ and radial expectation values of the order of several $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$.

arXiv:1909.08377•Physical Review A•Dec 13, 2019•7 citations

Rabi interferometry and sensitive measurement of the Casimir-Polder force with ultracold gases

Jan Chwedeńczuk, Luca Pezzè, Francesco Piazza +1 more

We show that Rabi oscillations of a degenerate fermionic or bosonic gas trapped in a double-well potential can be exploited for the interferometric measurement of external forces at micrometer length scales. The Rabi interferometer is less sensitive but easier to implement than the Mach-Zehnder, since it does not require dynamical beam-splitting or recombination processes. As an application we propose a measurement of the Casimir-Polder force acting between the atoms and a dielectric surface. We find that even if the interferometer is fed with a coherent state of relatively small number of atoms, and in the presence of realistic experimental noise, the force might be measured with a sensitivity sufficient to discriminate between thermal and zero-temperature regimes of the Casimir-Polder potential. Higher sensitivities can be reached with bosonic spin squeezed states.

arXiv:0909.0705•Physical Review A•Sep 9, 2010•15 citations

Casimir-Polder potentials as entanglement probe

M. A. Cirone, Giuseppe Compagno, G. Massimo Palma +2 more

We have considered the interaction of a pair of spatially separated two-level atoms with the electromagnetic field in its vacuum state and we have analyzed the amount of entanglement induced between the two atoms by the non local field fluctuations. This has allowed us to characterize the quantum nature of the non local correlations of the electromagnetic field vacuum state as well as to link the induced quantum entanglement with Casimir-Polder potentials.

arXiv:quant-ph/0407032•Europhysics Letters (EPL)•Apr 16, 2007•17 citations

Measurements of the Casimir―Polder Force

Michael Bordag B, G. L. Klimchitskaya, U. Mohideen +1 more

Abstract Modern laboratory techniques make possible the investigation of the role of the Casimir–Polder force in experiments on Bose–Einstein condensation and quantum reflection. Thus, it has been demonstrated that the collective oscillations of a Bose–Einstein condensate of ultracold atoms provide a sensitive probe of Casimir–Polder forces. Later, the first measurement of the temperature dependence of the Casimir–Polder force was performed in this way. The Casimir–Polder interaction plays an important role in the scattering of atoms on various surfaces. Of special interest are situations where the wave nature of an atom dominates in comparison with its classical behavior as a particle (this is referred to as quantum reflection). This chapter considers both of the latter two types of experiments in connection with the properties of the Casimir–Polder force.

•May 28, 2009•0 citations

Nonequilibrium Casimir-Polder Force: Magnus-like Effect

Maria Vittoria Gurrieri, Kurt Busch, Francesco Intravaia

The motion of a particle in vacuum near macroscopic bodies gives rise to a Magnus-like contribution to the nonequilibrium Casimir-Polder force. This effect originates from the interplay between particle dynamics and material-modified electromagnetic quantum fluctuations, inducing in the particle a direction-dependent angular momentum coupled to the electromagnetic field spin. The resulting drift force is proportional to the cross product of the particle's angular and translational velocities, revealing a rotational transport component in the nonequilibrium Casimir-Polder interaction. Our results establish a striking connection between quantum fluctuations-induced forces and the classical Magnus effect in fluid dynamics.

quant-pharXiv:2606.31610•Jul 1, 2026
We show that the Casimir-Polder interaction may induce coherent oscillations between degenerate atomic states.We illustrate this effect by computing the Casimir-Polder-induced Rabi frequency on a 87 Rb atom as it interacts with a reflecting surface.The atom oscillates between two Zeeman sublevels of its ground state undergoing a periodic exchange of angular momentum with the vacuum photons.
We theoretically investigate Rydberg atom pair potentials of Rb atoms in front of a perfectly conducting plate. The pair potentials are perturbed by both the Casimir-Polder potential acting on a single atom and the scattering contribution to the interatomic interaction. In contrast to the pair potentials in free space, at atom-surface distances ${d}_{s}\ensuremath{\lesssim}4\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$, avoided crossings appear. In the associated potential wells that are entirely due to dispersion interactions with the surface, there exist vibrational bound states, i.e., Rydberg macrodimers, with ground-state energies of up to $E=\ensuremath{-}68\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MHz}$ and radial expectation values of the order of several $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$.
We show that Rabi oscillations of a degenerate fermionic or bosonic gas trapped in a double-well potential can be exploited for the interferometric measurement of external forces at micrometer length scales. The Rabi interferometer is less sensitive but easier to implement than the Mach-Zehnder, since it does not require dynamical beam-splitting or recombination processes. As an application we propose a measurement of the Casimir-Polder force acting between the atoms and a dielectric surface. We find that even if the interferometer is fed with a coherent state of relatively small number of atoms, and in the presence of realistic experimental noise, the force might be measured with a sensitivity sufficient to discriminate between thermal and zero-temperature regimes of the Casimir-Polder potential. Higher sensitivities can be reached with bosonic spin squeezed states.
Abstract Modern laboratory techniques make possible the investigation of the role of the Casimir–Polder force in experiments on Bose–Einstein condensation and quantum reflection. Thus, it has been demonstrated that the collective oscillations of a Bose–Einstein condensate of ultracold atoms provide a sensitive probe of Casimir–Polder forces. Later, the first measurement of the temperature dependence of the Casimir–Polder force was performed in this way. The Casimir–Polder interaction plays an important role in the scattering of atoms on various surfaces. Of special interest are situations where the wave nature of an atom dominates in comparison with its classical behavior as a particle (this is referred to as quantum reflection). This chapter considers both of the latter two types of experiments in connection with the properties of the Casimir–Polder force.
The motion of a particle in vacuum near macroscopic bodies gives rise to a Magnus-like contribution to the nonequilibrium Casimir-Polder force. This effect originates from the interplay between particle dynamics and material-modified electromagnetic quantum fluctuations, inducing in the particle a direction-dependent angular momentum coupled to the electromagnetic field spin. The resulting drift force is proportional to the cross product of the particle's angular and translational velocities, revealing a rotational transport component in the nonequilibrium Casimir-Polder interaction. Our results establish a striking connection between quantum fluctuations-induced forces and the classical Magnus effect in fluid dynamics.