Signatures of minimal length from Casimir-Polder forces with neutrons

Abstract

In this paper, dispersion forces between neutrons are suggested as a probe of the fundamental structure of spacetime. Corrections to standard expressions for the interparticle potentials are obtained through computer algebra system strategies and a novel heuristic argument for comparison with field theory computations. It is confirmed that, to first order in the deformation parameter, the unretarded (c ->infinity) van der Waals potential is unchanged. The modified retarded Casimir-Polder potential, obtained from the minimal length zero-point field, compares satisfactorily in both sign and magnitude with rigorous calculations. It is shown that low energy neutron scattering can provide a gain in excess of 18 orders of magnitude over atomic physics experiments in constraining corrections due to the existence of a minimal length.