Dispersion interaction between crossed conducting wires

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Author(s)
Dobson, John F
Gould, Timothy
Klich, Israel
Year published
2009
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We compute the T=0 K Van der Waals (nonretarded Casimir) interaction energy E between two infinitely long, crossed conducting wires separated by a minimum distance D much greater than their radius. We find that, up to a logarithmic correction factor, E?-D-1|sin??|-1f(?), where f(?) is a smooth bounded function of the angle ? between the wires. We recover a conventional result of the form E?-D-4|sin??|-1g(?) when we include an electronic energy gap in our calculation. Our prediction of gap-dependent energetics may be observable experimentally for carbon nanotubes either via atomic force microscopy detection of the Van der ...
View more >We compute the T=0 K Van der Waals (nonretarded Casimir) interaction energy E between two infinitely long, crossed conducting wires separated by a minimum distance D much greater than their radius. We find that, up to a logarithmic correction factor, E?-D-1|sin??|-1f(?), where f(?) is a smooth bounded function of the angle ? between the wires. We recover a conventional result of the form E?-D-4|sin??|-1g(?) when we include an electronic energy gap in our calculation. Our prediction of gap-dependent energetics may be observable experimentally for carbon nanotubes either via atomic force microscopy detection of the Van der Waals force or torque or indirectly via observation of mechanical oscillations. This shows that strictly parallel wires, as assumed in previous predictions, are not needed to see a unique effect of this type.
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View more >We compute the T=0 K Van der Waals (nonretarded Casimir) interaction energy E between two infinitely long, crossed conducting wires separated by a minimum distance D much greater than their radius. We find that, up to a logarithmic correction factor, E?-D-1|sin??|-1f(?), where f(?) is a smooth bounded function of the angle ? between the wires. We recover a conventional result of the form E?-D-4|sin??|-1g(?) when we include an electronic energy gap in our calculation. Our prediction of gap-dependent energetics may be observable experimentally for carbon nanotubes either via atomic force microscopy detection of the Van der Waals force or torque or indirectly via observation of mechanical oscillations. This shows that strictly parallel wires, as assumed in previous predictions, are not needed to see a unique effect of this type.
View less >
Journal Title
Physical Review A (Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics)
Volume
80
Issue
1
Publisher URI
Copyright Statement
© 2009 American Physical Society. This is the author-manuscript version of this paper. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
Subject
Mathematical sciences
Physical sciences
Condensed matter modelling and density functional theory
Chemical sciences