The Casimir force between inhomogeneous slabs that exhibit a band-like structure is calculated. The slabs are made of basic unit cells each made of two layers of different materials. As the number of unit cells increases the Casimir force between the slabs changes, since the reflectivity develops a band-like structure characterized by frequency regions of high reflectivity. This is also evident in the difference of the local density of states between free and boundary distorted vacuum, that becomes maximum at frequencies corresponding to the band gaps. The calculations are restricted to vacuum modes with wave vectors perpendicular to the slabs.
Effect of number of unit cells of fcc photonic crystal on property of band gaps
