RADIATIVE PHASE TRANSITIONS AND CASIMIR EFFECT INSTABILITIES

Molecular quantum electrodynamics lead to photon frequency shifts and thus to changes in condensed matter free energies (often called the Casimir effect). Strong quantum electrodynamic coupling between radiation and molecular motions can lead to an instability beyond which one or more photon oscillators undergo a displacement phase transition. We show that the phase boundary of the transition can be located by a Casimir free energy instability.