Complete range of van der Waals attraction mediated by the quantum vacuum at all temperatures
Phys. Rev. A 113, 022805 – Published 6 February, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/qxln-dqj8
Abstract
Fluctuation-induced dispersion forces between atoms or molecules are known to show different regimes, depending on interatomic distances and temperature. They were generally developed in two kinds of models, alternatively considering quantum fluctuations of matter or fluctuating electromagnetic fields of the vacuum. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of van der Waals attraction forces between two neutral atoms, in which we retrieve nonretarded (short range), retarded (long range) and finite-temperature dispersion forces, connecting continuously all regimes. This approach also permits a general calculation of vacuum friction presented in a companion paper.
