English

Drude model and Lifshitz formula

Quantum Physics 2015-05-30 v1

Abstract

Since nearly 10 years, it is known that inserting the permittivity of the Drude model into the Lifshitz formula for free energy causes a violation of the third law of thermodynamics. In this paper we show that the standard Matsubara formulation for free energy contains a contribution that is non-perturbative in the relaxation parameter. We argue that the correct formula must have a perturbative expansion and conclude that the standard Matsubara formulation with the permittivity of the Drude model inserted is not correct. We trace the non-perturbative contribution in the complex frequency plane, where it shows up as a self-intersection or a bifurcation of the integration path.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1110.4819,
  title  = {Drude model and Lifshitz formula},
  author = {M. Bordag},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1110.4819},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

accepted for publication in EPJC

R2 v1 2026-06-21T19:23:52.772Z