Probing the Coherent Scattering of Zero-point Photons in the Casimir Force using Diffraction Gratings

使用衍射光栅探测卡西米尔力中零点光子的相干散射

• 批准号: 0970161
• 负责人: Umar Mohideen
• 金额: $ 39万
• 依托单位: University of California-Riverside
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-08-01 至 2015-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0970161&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Probing; Coherent; Scattering; Zero; point

The Casimir force acts between two bodies placed in empty space (vacuum). According to the laws of modern physics the vacuum is not an absolute emptiness, but is filled with an infinite number of virtual particles. The Casimir force results from the modifications of the properties of these virtual particles due to the presence of the two bodies. Thus its value and nature is critically dependent on the shape and geometry of the bodies. The last five years have seen rapid theoretical advances in the area of the dependence of the effect on simple geometry, motivated in part by our demonstration of the lateral Casimir force for sinusoidally corrugated surfaces (gratings). For such gratings, the diffraction-like coherent scattering effects of the virtual photons cannot be predicted by standard theories which merely add up the effects of small sections of the interacting bodies. Our objectives are to completely map the coherent scattering of virtual photons in the lateral Casimir force with both sinusoidal and saw toothed (blazed) gratings. Many applications for such lateral Casimir forces for bringing about noncontact lateral translations in nanoscale gears and rack and pinion systems have been predicted.The PI has been involved with many synergistic activities of broader impact. He has mentored two K-12 students, 12 undergraduates (7 minority), 8 graduate students and 6 postdoctoral fellows in lab research. Funding for mentoring one minority undergraduate and graduate student is requested. UCR is a minority institution. The PI's research is published in leading journals and has also been reported in many public announcements. The PI has developed teaching modules for high school and community college students as part of a NSF funded project. He has co-organized five workshops. The force measurement technique has been transferred for the development of ultrasensitive microfabricated biosensors.

卡西米尔力作用在两个放置在真空中的物体之间。根据现代物理学定律，真空不是绝对的空，而是充满了无限多的虚粒子。卡西米尔力是由于两个物体的存在而改变了这些虚粒子的性质而产生的。 因此，它的价值和性质严重依赖于物体的形状和几何形状。在过去的五年里，已经看到了快速的理论进展，在该地区的依赖性的效果简单的几何形状，部分原因是我们的演示的横向Casimir力正弦波纹表面（光栅）。对于这种光栅，虚光子的衍射相干散射效应不能用标准理论来预测，标准理论只是将相互作用物体的小部分效应加起来。我们的目标是完全映射的相干散射的虚光子在横向卡西米尔力与正弦和锯齿（闪耀）光栅。已经预测了这种横向Casimir力在纳米级齿轮和齿条小齿轮系统中用于实现非接触横向平移的许多应用。PI参与了许多具有更广泛影响的协同活动。 他指导了两名K-12学生，12名本科生（7名少数民族），8名研究生和6名博士后研究员进行实验室研究。 要求为指导一名少数民族本科生和研究生提供资金。UCR是一个少数民族机构。PI的研究发表在领先的期刊上，并在许多公告中报道。PI为高中和社区大学的学生开发了教学模块，作为NSF资助项目的一部分。他组织了五次研讨会。力的测量技术已经转移到超灵敏的微制造生物传感器的发展。