Direct calculation of the critical Casimir force in a binary fluid

Abstract

We show that critical Casimir effects can be accessed through direct simulation of a model binary fluid passing through the demixing transition. We work in the semi grand canonical ensemble, in slab geometry, in which the Casimir force appears as the excess of the generalized pressure, $P_{\bot}-n\mu$. The excesses of the perpendicular pressure, $P_{\bot}$, and of $n\mu$, are individually of much larger amplitude. A critical pressure anisotropy is observed between forces parallel and perpendicular to the confinement direction, which collapses onto a universal scaling function closely related to that of the critical Casimir force.