Casimir Effect in Fluids above the Isotropic-Lamellar Transition

Abstract

We study fluctuation-induced interaction in confined fluids above the isotropic-lamellar transition. At an ideal continuous transition, the disjoining pressure has the asymptotic form $\Pi (d\to \infty )\approx -C{k}_{B}T{q}_0^2/d$, where $d$ is the interwall distance, $q_0$ is the wavenumber of the scattering peak, and $C=1/(4\pi )$ in the strong anchoring limit. The long-rangedness is enhanced due to continuous distribution of soft modes in the $\mathbf{q}$-space. An unconventionally strong Casimir force with a range of several lamella thicknesses is realistic above the transition. We also find an oscillatory force profile near a surface-induced transition.

4 pages, 2 figures; published version

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