Nonlinear micromechanical Casimir oscillator.
The Casimir force between uncharged metallic surfaces originates from quantum-mechanical zero-point fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. We demonstrate that this quantum electrodynamical effect has a profound influence on the oscillatory behavior of microstructures when surfaces are in close proximity (< or =100 nm). Frequency shifts, hysteretic behavior, and bistability caused by the Casimir force are observed in the frequency response of a periodically driven micromachined torsional oscillator.
Chan
H B
HB
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974, USA. hochan@lucent.com
Aksyuk
V A
VA
Kleiman
R N
RN
Bishop
D J
DJ
Capasso
F
F