Casimir‐Lifshitz Optical Resonators: A New Platform for Exploring Physics at the Nanoscale

Abstract

The Casimir‐Lifshitz force, FC − L, has become a subject of great interest to both theoretical and applied physics communities due to its fundamental properties and potential technological implications in emerging nano‐scale devices. Recent cutting‐edge experiments have demonstrated the potential of quantum trapping at the nano‐scale assisted by FC − L in metallic planar plates immersed in fluids through appropriate stratification of the inner dielectric media, opening up new avenues for exploring physics at the nano‐scale. This review article provides an overview of the latest results in Casimir‐Lifshitz based‐optical resonator schemes and their potential applications in fields such as microfluidic devices, bio‐nano and micro electromechanical systems (NEMS and MEMS), strong coupling, polaritonic chemistry, photo‐chemistry, sensing, and metrology. The use of these optical resonators provides a versatile platform for fundamental studies and technological applications at the nano‐scale, with the potential to revolutionize various fields and create new opportunities for research.

Force Metrology with Plane Parallel Plates: Final Design Review and Outlook

“…Considering materials with different reflection properties, several experimental groups have shown that the Casimir pressure can be substantially modified [46,47,49,50,54,57,[143][144][145][146]. In particular, leveraging the interplay between optical properties and geometry (see also Section 4.1.2), not only the strength but also the sign of interaction can be changed [146][147][148][149][150].…”

Twist-induced Casimir Attractive-Repulsive Transition Based on Lithium Iodate

“…The Casimir force, a noncontact force generated by quantum vacuum fluctuations between objects, is typically attractive. − The attractive nature of the Casimir effect may cause irreversible adhesion and frictional forces, which are detrimental to micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS). − Therefore, achieving a repulsive Casimir is highly required, and the modulation of the transition between repulsive and attractive states can enhance the performance and longevity of the micro and nanodevices. − Researchers have made various attempts to modulate the Casimir interaction by the Lifshitz theory, including liquid-separated environments and specific structures to change the dielectric properties. − A landmark study by Chen et al in 2007 demonstrated that the application of a laser could lead to modifications of Casimir forces . More recently, Ge et al extended this concept by using the phase transition properties of Vanadium dioxide to achieve Casimir equilibria. , Despite these advances, the exploration of Casimir forces transition between identical anisotropic materials remains limited.…”