Hannover 2016 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 71: Quantum Effects: QED IV

Q 71.3: Talk

Friday, March 4, 2016, 15:15–15:30, f442

Medium-assisted Casimir–Polder interaction between chiral molecules — •Pablo Barcellona and Stefan Yoshi Buhmann — Institute of Physics, Freiburg University, Germany

Using second-order perturbation theory with an effective Hamiltonian, we calculate the Casimir–Polder force between two ground-state chiral molecules at zero temperature in the presence of magnetodielectric bodies. In free space, the Casimir–Polder force has a small chiral component depending on both electric and magnetic transitions. With the presence of a material environment we find some highly symmetric configurations where the electric and magnetic contributions of the Casimir–Polder force cancel, making the chiral component the dominant contribution. This is achieved via magnetoelectric plates which exhibit chiral properties. The dominant chiral Casimir–Polder force is discriminatory with respect to enantiomers of different handedness.