Peter Milonni, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Abstract
Casimir effects are generally regarded as manifestations of zero-point energies of quantum fields. The best-known Casimir effects are those associated with the electromagnetic vacuum field; these are of great current interest not only for basic physics but also for their implications for nanotechnology. Following a brief review of the concept of zero-point energy, and experimental evidence for it, attention will be focused on the most famous Casimir effect---the force between two perfectly conducting plates---and the extension of the theory to dielectric materials. Other interpretations of this force, including its relation to interatomic van der Waals interactions, will be presented, as well as a brief overview of recent theoretical and experimental work.