PHYSICS CLUB COLLOQUIUM

Federico Capasso
Harvard University

Friday, April 14, 2006
4:00 pm in SPL 57

Harnessing quantum fluctuations: physics and nanomechanics of Casimir-Lifshitz forces

Abstract: The Casimir/Lifshitz force is the attraction between uncharged metallic or dielectric surfaces due to quantum mechanical fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. We will first review our work on MicroElectroMechanicalSystems (MEMS) in which the Casimir force between metallic surfaces at submicron distances has been measured with high precision and exploited for the quantum mechanical actuation of MEMS and for the realization of a new class of nanometric position sensors.1,2 Next recent experiments on tuning the Casmir force using hydrogen switcheable mirrors and thin metallic films will be presented.3,4 The last part of the talk will describe new experiments aimed at detecting the predicted vacuum torque between suitable birefringent materials.5 The critical role of repulsive Casimir/Lifshitz forces in these experiments and their applications in the realization of virtually frictionless bearings and related devices will be discussed. For a brief review of the above work see Ref. 6

  1. H.B. Chan, V.A. Aksyuk, R. N. Kleiman, D.J. Bishop, F. Capasso, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 211801 (2001)
  2. H.B. Chan, V.A. Aksyuk, R. N. Kleiman, D.J. Bishop, F. Capasso, Science, 291, 1941 (2001).
  3. D. Iannnuzzi, M. Lisanti , F. Capasso, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 101, 4019 (2004)
  4. M. Lisanti,  D. Iannnuzzi, F. Capasso, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 102, 11989 (2005)
  5. J. Munday, D. Iannuzzi, Y. Barash, F. Capasso, Phys. Rev. A 71, 042102 (2005)
  6. D. Iannuzzi, M. Lisanti, J. Munday, F. Capasso, Solid-State Comm. 135, 618 (2005)

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