What is the Casimir effect - European Science Foundation
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Transcript What is the Casimir effect - European Science Foundation
QED says that vacuum in not empty but full with fluctuating EM fields
E / 2
or "vacuum fluctuations” with energy
E t
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle
H. Casimir (1948) ….Perfectly reflecting plates………….
d
1909-2000
First high accuracy measurement in 1997 by S. Lamoreaux
ri: Fresnel reflection coefficients for s (TE mode) & p (TM mode) polarization
CASIMIR: Aims to foster European/pan-European collaborations in Casimir physics
58 participating research groups / 11 different countries
A dynamic forum for quick and efficient exchange by:
• Integrating and disseminating by the exchange of junior researchers and students
between research groups via short visit or exchange grants
• Facilitating the smooth exchange of new ideas
• Providing interdisciplinary training and foster collaboration by creating links with
leading groups in different areas of adjacent communities
• Providing transmission of new concepts and techniques from research frontiers to
the basic training level by organising science meetings
Short visit grants:
Exchange grants:
4 in 2008,
1 in 2008,
science meetings:
6
Scientific publications: > 200
12 in 2009,
4 in 2009,
12 in 2010
2 in 2010
Casimir effect: measurement
and theory
Casimir force in complex geometries
and novel topologies: control of Casimir force &
applications to MEMS/NEMS; patterned or corrugated
surfaces, nanospheres, small spheroïd shaped bodies,
edge effects, vacuum torques, beyond proximity force
approximation (PFA) measurements and calculations.
New materials and their optical
properties: Carbon nanotubes, nanoparticles,
metamaterials, quasicrystals, superconductors, photonic
crystals, phase change materials
Repulsive and lateral Casimir forces
Thermal Casimir effects
Applications in nanophysics,
biophysics, and disordered systems
Challenges in vacuum
properties
Casimir effect, vacuum
energy, gravity and cosmology
Casimir effect and tests of the
equivalence principle
Dynamical Casimir effect
Related Casimir topics
Critical Casimir Forces
Dispersion forces in liquids
Casimir Polder interaction with BEC and molecules
Quantum friction and Casimir momentum
Popularity of QED fluctuations (both experiment and theory)
Connect Casimir effect with world (Nanotechnology & fundamental physics)
Casimir-Polder effect
Drude – Plasma model discrepancy in relation to existing/new force data
Casimir repulsive forces
Biology and dispersion forces (biomolecule recognition by selective van der
Waals/Casimir dispersion forces)
Calculations and applications of Casimir dispersive forces
Electrostatics – patch effects on contact potentials
Nanoparticles & size effects on dispersion forces
van der Waals/Gecko superadhesion for various types of rough surfaces
and applications to robots, superadhesive tapes etc…
Investigation of vacuum energy in quantum field theory with applications to
QCD and cosmology
Relation of Casimir effect to industry (develop further present industrial
contacts) and impact on economy
More workshops/schools & focus on 2-3 topical meetings /year
Geometry –size effects & experiments
PRL 2009
PRL 2010
EPL 2009, Eur.P. News 2009
MEMSlateral Casimir- contactless motion
Metamaterials repulsive forces
Au nanoscale split-ring resonators
PRA (RC) 2010
Phase change materials (PCM): AIST system
Measuring device: AC states
Proof-of-concept device
Dissimilar systems: Au-HOPG
Eur. Lett. 2010
%
Exp.
Quantum (van der Waals) Friction
Theory
Friction coefficient between
two graphene sheets
PRL 2011
Repulsion-Attraction in liquids
Repulsion
Attraction
Attraction
repulsion
PRA 2010
PRE, PRB 2009
Dynamical Casimir
► Simulate a mirror motion by changing
mirror reflectivity
► The semiconductor reflectivity is driven
by laser irradiation mirror switches from
completely transparent to completely
reflective (for microwaves)
Padova experiment
►CASIMIR program has developed rapidly almost doubling size & more
than 200 publications
► Novel experiments concerning the static or dynamic Casimir effect
have been developed by groups (AFM, MEMS)
► Casimir force calculations using numerous different methods
► Research efforts have been strongly supported by short visits,
exchange grants and science meetings
► More science meetings are planned for the remaining years
► Try to establish strong links with industry and contribute to the
broader EU economy
► CASIMIR is part of several activities within EU & national programs,
and international collaborations with “Americas”