Critical Casimir force in the superfluid phase: effect of fluctuations

Abstract

We have considered the critical Casimir force on a $^4$He film below and above the bulk $\lambda$ point. We have explored the role of fluctuations around the mean field theory in a perturbative manner, and have substantially improved the mean field result of Zandi et al [Phys. Rev. E {\bf 76}, 030601(R) (2007)]. The Casimir scaling function obtained by us approaches a universal constant ($-\frac{\zeta(3)}{8\pi}$) for $T\lesssim 2.13~\text{K}$.