Casimir energy of a dilute dielectric ball in the mode summation method

Abstract

In the $(ε_1-ε_2)^2$--approximation the Casimir energy of a dilute dielectric ball is derived using a simple and clear method of the mode summation. The addition theorem for the Bessel functions enables one to present in a closed form the sum over the angular momentum before the integration over the imaginary frequencies. The linear in $(ε_1-ε_2)$ contribution into the vacuum energy is removed by an appropriate subtraction. The role of the contact terms used in other approaches to this problem is elucidated.