The Physics of Atom–Surface Interactions

In this lecture, an overview on interactions between atoms and surfaces is given that are mediated by the electromagnetic field. The emphasis is on dispersion (or van der Waals) forces and transitions induced by thermal fluctuations in the near field of a surface. Applications with cold atoms held in microscopic traps near surfaces, as outlined in the lecture by J. Schmiedmayer, provide the experimental background for this theory lecture. We do not cover the chemical physics aspects that are relevant at distances comparable to the atomic scale. Phenomena like adsorption and diffusion on surfaces, or atomic beam diffraction from crystalline surfaces, are left to the lectures by J. Frenken and H. Lezec.