Published July 2010 | Version v1
Journal article Metadata-only

Switching Casimir forces with phase-change materials

Creators

  • 1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom)
  • 2. Materials innovation institute M2i and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, NL-9747 AG Groningen (Netherlands)
  • 3. MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, NL-7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)
  • 4. I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), RWTH Aachen University, D-52056 Aachen (Germany)

Description

We demonstrate here a controllable variation in the Casimir force. Changes in the force of up to 20% at separations of ∼100 nm between Au and Ag-In-Sb-Te (AIST) surfaces were achieved on crystallization of an amorphous sample of AIST. This material is well known for its structural transformation, which produces a significant change in the optical properties and is exploited in optical data storage systems. The finding paves the way to the control of forces in nanosystems, such as micro- or nanoswitches, by stimulating the phase-change transition via localized heat sources.

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1103/PhysRevA.82.010101;
arXiv
arXiv:1006.4065v2;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review. A
Journal Volume
82
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
p. 010101-010101.4
ISSN
1050-2947
CODEN
PLRAAN

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
42049249
Subject category
S36: MATERIALS SCIENCE; S75: CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY;
Descriptors DEI
CASIMIR EFFECT; CRYSTALLIZATION; GOLD; INDIUM ANTIMONIDES; INDIUM TELLURIDES; NANOSTRUCTURES; OPTICAL PROPERTIES; PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS; SILVER COMPOUNDS; SURFACES
Descriptors DEC
ANTIMONIDES; ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS; CHALCOGENIDES; ELEMENTS; INDIUM COMPOUNDS; MATERIALS; METALS; PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; PNICTIDES; TELLURIDES; TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS; TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS; TRANSITION ELEMENTS

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2010 The American Physical Society