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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lucia Rizzuto

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Guest Editor

Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica – E. Segrè, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo, Italy
Interests: quantum electrodynamics; vacuum fluctuations; casimir effects; causality and non-locality in QED; radiative processes in static and dynamical structured environments; quantum field theory in accelerated frames; unruh effect; cosmological axions and dark matter
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Antonio Noto

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Guest Editor

Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica– Emilio Segrè, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Interests: quantum electrodynamics; quantum field theory in curved space–time; quantum optics; static and dynamical Casimir effect; radiative processes in static and dynamical structured environment; optomechanics; quantum fluctuations; Casimir effect out of thermal equilibrium

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vacuum fluctuations of the quantized electromagnetic field are at the origin of many observable phenomena, such as spontaneous emission of radiation by atoms or molecules, van der Waals, Casimir and Casimir–Polder forces between neutral objects, resonant interactions, and resonant energy transfer between atoms/molecules. These effects are present at the micro- and nanoscale and play a fundamental role in a variety of physical, chemical, and biological processes, as well in applications in micro- and nanotechnologies. Recent theoretical studies and advances in experimental techniques and in material science have shown that radiative properties of atoms/molecules can be tailored and controlled through nontrivial environments (such as photonic crystals, waveguide, cavities) or in dynamical situations (for example, dynamical boundary conditions or dynamical environments).

The main aim of this Special Issue is to give an overview of new theoretical and experimental progresses on radiative processes by atoms or molecules, such as resonant and dispersion van der Waals/Casimir interactions, resonant energy transfer, and collective spontaneous emission, both in static and dynamical situations. Applications to nanotechnologies will be also considered. Topics will include:

Van der Waals and Casimir dispersion interactions (theory and applications)
Dynamical Casimir and Casimir–Polder effect
Resonant interactions and resonant energy transfer in structured environment (such as photonic crystals, waveguides, cavities, and nanostructured materials)
Collective spontaneous emission of atoms in structured environments
Radiative processes in dynamical structured environments
Casimir effects out of thermal equilibrium
Casimir forces in micro- and nano-electromechanical system
Dispersion and resonance interactions in biological systems
Optomechanical systems
Casimir friction
Casimir torque
Heat transfer

Dr. Lucia Rizzuto
Dr. Antonio Noto
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

vacuum fluctuations
static and dynamical Casimir effect
Casimir–Polder interactions
resonant energy transfer
spontaneous emissions
photonic crystals
micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)
nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS)
quantum optomechanics
heat transfer

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Other

16 pages, 315 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bridge-Mediated RET between Two Chiral Molecules

by A Salam

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 1012; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11031012 - 23 Jan 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1233

Abstract

Molecular quantum electrodynamics (QED) theory is employed to calculate the rate of resonance energy transfer (RET) between a donor, D, described by an electric dipole and quadrupole, and magnetic dipole coupling, and an identical acceptor molecule, A, that is mediated by a third body, T, which is otherwise inert. A single virtual photon propagates between D and T, and between T and A. Time-dependent perturbation theory is used to compute the matrix element, from which the transfer rate is evaluated using the Fermi golden rule. This extends previous studies that were limited to the electric dipole approximation only and admits the possibility of the exchange of excitation between a chiral emitter and absorber. Rate terms are computed for specific pure and mixed multipole-dependent contributions of D and A for both an oriented arrangement of the three particles and for the freely tumbling situation. Mixed multipole moment contributions, such as those involving electric–magnetic dipole or electric dipole–quadrupole coupling at one center, do not survive random orientational averaging. Interestingly, the mixed electric–magnetic dipole D and A rate term is non-vanishing and discriminatory, exhibiting a dependence on the chirality of the emitter and absorber, and is entirely retarded. It vanishes, however, if D and A are oriented perpendicularly to one another. Near- and far-zone asymptotes of isotropic contributions to the rate are also evaluated, demonstrating radiationless short-range transfer and inverse-square radiative exchange at very large separations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiative Processes in Quantum Electrodynamics: Theory, Experiments and Applications)

Other

Jump to: Research

14 pages, 2188 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Perspective on Some Recent and Future Developments in Casimir Interactions

by Lilia M. Woods, Matthias Krüger and Victor V. Dodonov

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(1), 293; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11010293 - 30 Dec 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2474

Abstract

Here, we present a critical review of recent developments in Casimir physics motivated by discoveries of novel materials. Specifically, topologically nontrivial properties of the graphene family, Chern and topological insulators, and Weyl semimetals have diverse manifestations in the distance dependence, presence of fundamental constants, magnitude, and sign of the Casimir interaction. Limited studies of the role of nonlinear optical properties in the interaction are also reviewed. We show that, since many new materials have greatly enhanced the nonlinear optical response, new efficient pathways for investigation of the characteristic regimes of the Casimir force need to be explored, which are expected to lead to new discoveries. Recent progress in the dynamical Casimir effect is also reviewed and we argue that nonlinear media can open up new directions in this field as well. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiative Processes in Quantum Electrodynamics: Theory, Experiments and Applications)

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