Dynamical Casimir-Polder effect with Rydberg atoms

Abstract

We investigate the dynamics of Rydberg atoms trapped in front of an oscillating conducting mirror, that can be simulated by a wall with a periodically driven dielectric constant (dynamical mirror). We focus our attention on the probability of atomic excitation due to a dynamical Casimir-Polder effect, related to the near field of the image atom whose distance periodically changes as a consequence of the mirror's motion. The theoretical analysis of this system also aims to an experimental proposal to detect this new dynamical effect exploiting Rydberg atoms trapped in the vicinity of the dynamical mirror. Our results indicate that the number of excited atoms is high enough to allow detection of the dynamical effect.