Speaker: Wen-Jie Nie

Beijing Computational Science Research Center    

Abstract: The Casimir effect is a macroscopic quantum phenomenon arising from the zero-point energy change of electromagnetic field around material boundaries. The Casimir force plays a dominated role at micron and submicron distances and therefore often leads to stiction, adhesion, and wear on exposed surfaces of the micro- and nanoelectromechanical system (MEMS and NEMS). We devote to the possible route towards Casimir repulsion with nontrivial medias, which is expected to have some potential applications in the MEMS and MEMS for preventing the stiction, adhesion and wear between the parts of the devices. The normal and lateral Casimir forces between two identical corrugated plates can induce the lateral motion and therefore can be used for designing some micro and nanoscaled mechanical devices or transducers. We also study the possible of the experimental measurement of the repulsive Casimir force between a sphere and a mirror by the optical methods.

Date&Time: January 25, 2013 (Friday), 15:30–16:30
Location: 606 Conference Room