Casimir Momentum of a Chiral Molecule in a Magnetic Field

Manuel Donaire, Bart van Tiggelen, Geert L. J. A. Rikken

Published 2013-04-24, updated 2013-10-09Version 2

In a classical description, a neutral, polarizable object acquires a kinetic momentum when exposed to crossed electric and magnetic fields. In the presence of only a magnetic field no such momentum exists classically, although it is symmetry-allowed for an object lacking mirror symmetry. We perform a full QED calculation to show that the quantum vacuum coupled to a chiral molecule provides a kinetic "Casimir" momentum directed along the magnetic field, proportional to its rotatory power and the fine structure constant.