Critical Casimir Force

Finite Size Scaling at Criticality

Correlation lengths diverge at a critical point:

Finite-size contribution of long-wavelength fluctuations at criticality:

M.E. Fisher and P.-G. de Gennes, C. R. Acad. Sci. Ser. B 287, 207 (1978)

Colloidal particles in a critical binary mixture

  "Direct measurement of critical Casimir forces,"

Hertlein, Helden, Gambassi, Dietrich & Bechinger, Nature 451, 172 (2008)

Next (Casimir in Helium) Outline QED Casimir force Thermal Critical Casimir Thermal Casimir in Helium Membrane inclusions Scale-invariant shapes Entropic force in polymers Phantom polymers Self-avoiding polymers Summary