CASIMIR FORCE ON A DIELECTRIC CYLINDER

The Casimir surface force density on a compact material cylinder of radius a is calculated, at zero temperature. A Green function approach is followed. The general theory is formulated so as to hold for arbitrary permittivities epsilon(omega) and permeabilities mu(omega), whereas when it comes to explicit calculations the condition epsilon(omega) mu(omega) = 1 is assumed to hold. A simple dispersion relation is chosen, implying a high frequency cutoff omega0. The theory yet diverges, at high angular momenta. Divergences of this sort usually appear whenever there are curved boundaries present. On physical grounds an angular momentum cutoff mo can be introduced, being of order omega0a. A semi-quantitative calculation of the force thereby becomes possible. The calculated force is attractive. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.