RADIATIVE PROPERTIES OF ATOMS NEAR A CONDUCTING PLANE - AN OLD PROBLEM IN A NEW LIGHT

We examine the level shifts and radiation rates of an atom near an infinite, perfectly conducting plane. Following the work of Dalibard, Dupont-Roc, and Cohen-Tannoudji [J. Phys. (Paris) 43, 1617 (1982); 45, 637 (1984)], we distinguish between the effects of radiation reaction and vacuum fluctuation. This separation provides some new physical insight into the nature of cavity modifications of atomic properties. In particular, we are able to identify the Casimir interaction as entirely due to the vacuum fluctuations. © 1990 The American Physical Society.