Electromagnetic semitransparent $δ$-function plate: Casimir interaction energy between parallel infinitesimally thin plates

Abstract

We derive boundary conditions for electromagnetic fields on a $δ$-function plate. The optical properties of such a plate are shown to necessarily be anisotropic in that they only depend on the transverse properties of the plate. We unambiguously obtain the boundary conditions for a perfectly conducting $δ$-function plate in the limit of infinite dielectric response. We show that a material does not "optically vanish" in the thin-plate limit. The thin-plate limit of a plasma slab of thickness $d$ with plasma frequency $ω_p^2=ζ_p/d$ reduces to a $δ$-function plate for frequencies ($ω=iζ$) satisfying $ζd \ll \sqrt{ζ_p d} \ll 1$. We show that the Casimir interaction energy between two parallel perfectly conducting $δ$-function plates is the same as that for parallel perfectly conducting slabs. Similarly, we show that the interaction energy between an atom and a perfect electrically conducting $δ$-function plate is the usual Casimir-Polder energy, which is verified by considering the thin-plate limit of dielectric slabs. The "thick" and "thin" boundary conditions considered by Bordag are found to be identical in the sense that they lead to the same electromagnetic fields.