Van der Waals induced polarization of atoms and molecules adsorbed in spherical cavities in a metal: anisotropy and nonlocality effects

The calculation of van der Waals induced polarization of atoms or molecules interacting with small spherical cavities in a metal is based on the spherical-tensor theory using the response field susceptibility of the spherical cavity. The dependence of this polarization on the first Euler angle is a manifestation of the anisotropy of the interaction. In order to illustrate the nonlocality and anisotropy effects as well as the importance of the spherical cavity curvature on the polarization-induced magnitudes, we present numerical results for typical systems (HF, HCl molecules, Xe and Na atoms) on (Ag, Al, Cu surfaces). An atom interferometry experiment aimed to measure the dipolar momentum induced in a sodium atom by a metallic wall is proposed.