Casimir interaction energies for magneto-electric δ-function plates

Abstract: We present boundary conditions for the electromagnetic fields on a \delta-function plate, having both electric and magnetic properties, sandwiched between two magneto-electric semi-infinite half spaces. The optical properties for an isolated \delta-function plate are shown to be independent of the longitudinal material properties of the plate. The Casimir-Polder energy between an isotropically polarizable atom and a magneto-electric \delta-function plate is attractive for a purely electric \delta-function plate, repulsive for a purely magnetic \delta-function plate, and vanishes for the simultaneous perfect conductor limit of both electric and magnetic properties of the \delta-function plate. The interaction energy between two identical \delta-function plates is always attractive. It can be attractive or repulsive when the plates have electric and magnetic properties interchanged and reproduces Boyer's result for the interaction energy between perfectly conducting electric and magnetic plates. The change in the Casimir-Polder energy in the presence of a \delta-function plate on a magneto-electric substrate is substantial when the substrate is a weak dielectric.