Eur. Phys. J. C (2010) 68: 223-226
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-010-1326-2

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

On the validity of constraints on light elementary particles and extra-dimensional physics from the Casimir effect

¹ Department of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
² North-West Technical University, Millionnaya St. 5, St. Petersburg, 191065, Russia
³ Institute for Theoretical Physics, Leipzig University, Postfach 100920, 04009, Leipzig, Germany
⁴ Physics Department, Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN, 47933, USA
⁵ Noncommercial Partnership “Scientific Instruments”, Tverskaya St. 11, Moscow, 103905, Russia

^* e-mail: Vladimir.Mostepanenko@itp.uni-leipzig.de

Received: 5 March 2010
Revised: 7 April 2010
Published online: 29 April 2010

Abstract

We discuss the constraints on the parameters of a Yukawa interaction obtained from the indirect measurements of the Casimir pressure between parallel plates using the sphere–plate configuration. Recently, it was claimed in the literature that the application of the proximity force approximation (PFA) to the calculation of a Yukawa interaction in the sphere–plate configuration could lead to a large error of order 100% in the constraints obtained. Here we re-calculate the constraints both exactly and using the PFA, and arrive at identical results. We elucidate the reasons why an incorrect conclusion was obtained suggesting that the PFA is inapplicable to calculate the Yukawa force.