Comment on ''Surface-impedance approach solves problems with the thermal Casimir force between real metals''

Abstract

In a recent paper, Geyer, Klimchitskaya, and Mostepanenko [Phys. Rev. A 67, 062102 (2003); quant-ph/0306038] proposed the final solution of the problem of temperature correction to the Casimir force between real metals. The basic idea was that one cannot use the dielectric permittivity in the frequency region where a real current may arise leading to Joule heating of the metal. Instead, the surface impedance approach is proposed as a solution of all contradictions. The purpose of this comment is to show that (i) the main idea contradicts to the fluctuation dissipation theorem, (ii) the proposed method to calculate the force gives wrong value of the temperature correction since the contribution of low frequency fluctuations is calculated with the impedance which is not applicable at low frequencies. In the impedance approach the right result for the reflection coefficients in the n=0 term of the Lifshitz formula is given.