Microscopic theory of the Casimir force at thermal equilibrium: large-separation asymptotics.

We present an entirely microscopic calculation of the Casimir force f(d) between two metallic plates in the limit of large separation d . The models of metals consist of mobile quantum charges in thermal equilibrium with the photon field at positive temperature T . Fluctuations of all degrees of freedom, matter and field, are treated according to the principles of quantum electrodynamics and statistical physics without recourse to approximations or intermediate assumptions.

van der Waals forces in presence of free charges: an exact derivation from equilibrium quantum correlations.

We study interatomic forces in a fluid consisting of a mixture of free charges and neutral atoms in the framework of the quantum many-body problem at nonzero temperature and nonzero density. Of central interest is the interplay between van der Waals forces and screening effects due to free charges. The analysis is carried out in a partially recombined hydrogen plasma in the Saha regime.