title: Universal scaling laws for dispersion interactions.
abstract: We study the scaling behavior of dispersion potentials and forces under very general conditions. We prove that a rescaling of an arbitrary geometric arrangement by a factor a changes the atom-atom and atom-body potentials in the long-distance limit by factors 1/a{7} and 1/a{4}, respectively, and the Casimir force per unit area by 1/a{4}. In the short-distance regime, electric and magnetic bodies lead to different scaling behavior. As applications, we present scaling functions for two atom-body potentials and display the equipotential lines of a plate-assisted two-atom potential.
authors.affiliation: Quantum Optics and Laser Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stefan Yoshi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Buhmann
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scheel
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Babington