Hamaker constant

In molecular physics, the Hamaker constant (denoted $A$; named for H. C. Hamaker) is a physical constant that can be defined for a van der Waals (vdW) body–body interaction:
 * $$A=\pi^2C\rho_1\rho_2,$$

where $ρ1, ρ2$ are the number densities of the two interacting kinds of particles, and $C$ is the London coefficient in the particle–particle pair interaction. The magnitude of this constant reflects the strength of the vdW-force between two particles, or between a particle and a substrate.

The Hamaker constant provides the means to determine the interaction parameter $C$ from the vdW-pair potential,
 * $$w(r) = \frac{-C}{r^6}.$$

Hamaker's method and the associated Hamaker constant ignores the influence of an intervening medium between the two particles of interaction. In 1956 Lifshitz developed a description of the vdW energy but with consideration of the dielectric properties of this intervening medium (often a continuous phase).

The Van der Waals forces are effective only up to several hundred angstroms. When the interactions are too far apart, the dispersion potential decays faster than $$1/r^6;$$ this is called the retarded regime, and the result is a Casimir–Polder force.