Surface Stability of Epitaxial Elastic Films by Casimir Force

We investigate the morphological stability of epitaxial thin elastic films on a substrate by the Casimir force between the film surface and a flat plate. Critical undulation wavelengths are derived for two different limit conditions. Consideration of the Casimir force in both limit cases decreases the critical wavelength of the surface perturbation.

Comment on Casimir force in compact non-commutative extra dimensions and radius stabilization

We call attention to a series of mistakes in a paper by S. Nam recently published in this journal (J. High Energy Phys. 10 (2000) 044).

Casimir Effect on the Pull-in Parameters of Nanometer Switches

Casimir effect on the critical pull-in gap and pull-in voltage of nanoelectromechanical switches is studied. An approximate analytical expression of the critical pull-in gap with Casimir force is presented by the perturbation theory. The corresponding pull-in parameters are computed numerically, from which one can notice the nonlinear effect of Casimir force on the pull-in parameters. The detachment length has been presented, which increases with increasing thickness of the beam.

Instability Analysis Of Torsional Mems/Nems Actuators Under Capillary Force

The static and dynamic instabilities of a torsional MEMS/NEMS actuator caused by capillary effects are studied, respectively. An instability number, eta, is defined, and the critical gap distance, g(cr), between the mainplate and the substrate is derived. According to the values of eta and g, the instability criteria of the actuator are presented. The dimensionless motion equation of the MEMS/NEMS torsional actuator is derived when it makes nonlinear oscillation under capillary force. The qualitative analysis of the nonlinear equation is made, and the phase portraits are presented on the phase plane. In addition, the bifurcation phenomena in the system are also analyzed. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Casimir effect in the presence of compactified universal extra dimensions

The Casimir force in a system consisting of two parallel conducting plates in the presence of compactified universal extra dimensions (UXD) is analyzed. The Casimir force with UXDs differs from the force obtained without extra dimensions. A new power law for the Casimir force is derived. By comparison to experimental data the size R of the universal extra dimensions can be restricted to R⩽10 nm for one extra dimension.

When the Casimir energy is not a sum of zero-point energies

We compute the leading radiative correction to the Casimir force between two parallel plates in the lambdaPhi(4) theory. Dirichlet and periodic boundary conditions are considered. A heuristic approach, in which the Casimir energy is computed as the sum of one-loop corrected zero-point energies, is shown to yield incorrect results, but we show how to amend it. The technique is then used in the case of periodic boundary conditions to construct a perturbative expansion which is free of infrared singularities in the massless limit. In this case we also compute the next-to-leading order radiative correction, which turns out to be proportional to lambda(3/2).

Efeito Casimir em teorias de Chern-Simons

Nesta dissertação obtemos a força de Casimir a temperatura finita entre duas linhas paralelas sujeitas a condição de fronteira do tipo linhas mistas, no contexto da teoria de Maxwell- Chern-Simons em (2+1) dimensões. Além disso, analisamos a simetria de inversão de temperatura apresentada pela energia livre de Helmholtz do modelo para diferentes condições de fronteira. Iniciamos estudando aspectos gerais do formalismo de Matsubara no intuito de introduzirmos efeitos térmicos na teoria; também analisamos aspectos gerais da teoria de MCS em (2 + 1) dimensões. Posteriormente, revisitamos o cálculo da força de Casimir para o caso de duas linhas paralelas infinitamente permeáveis magneticamente a temperatura nula e finita, bem como o caso de linhas mistas a temperatura nula, onde tomamos uma linha perfeitamente condutora eletricamente e outra infinitamente permeável magneticamente. Em seguida, apresentamos novos resultados envolvendo a força de Casimir a temperatura finita com condições de fronteira do tipo linhas mistas. Por último, analisamos a simetria de inversão de temperatura associada a energia livre de Helmholtz do modelo, mostrando que mesmo para condições mistas e possível obter uma espécie de simetria residual, em analogia a resultados existentes para a eletrodinâmica em (3+1) dimensões.

Casimir effect with quantized charged spinor matter in background magnetic field

We study the influence of a background uniform magnetic field and boundary conditions on the vacuum of a quantized charged spinor matter field confined between two parallel neutral plates; the magnetic field is directed orthogonally to the plates. The admissible set of boundary conditions at the plates is determined by the requirement that the Dirac Hamiltonian operator be self-adjoint. It is shown that, in the case of a sufficiently strong magnetic field and a sufficiently large separation of the plates, the generalized Casimir force is repulsive, being independent of the choice of a boundary condition, as well as of the distance between the plates. The detection of this effect seems to be feasible in the foreseeable future.

Mechanics of Adhesion in MEMS-a Review

A review is presented of the mechanics of microscale adhesion in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Some governing dimensionless numbers such as Tabor number, adhesion parameter and peel number for microscale elastic adhesion contact are discussed in detail. The peel number is modified for the elastic contact between a rough surface in contact with a smooth plane. Roughness ratio is introduced to characterize the relative importance of surface roughness for microscale adhesion contact, and three kinds of asperity height distributions are discussed: Gaussian, fractal, and exponential distributions. Both Gaussian and exponential distributions are found to be special cases of fractal distribution. Casimir force induced adhesion in MEMS, and adhesion of carbon nanotubes to a substrate are also discussed. Finally, microscale plastic adhesion contact theory is briefly reviewed, and it is found that the dimensionless number, plasticity index of various forms, can be expressed by the roughness ratio.

Stability and bifurcation behaviour of electrostatic torsional NEMS varactor influenced by dispersion forces

The influences of Casimir and van der Waals forces on the nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS) electrostatic torsional varactor are studied. A one degree of freedom, the torsional angle, is adopted, and the bifurcation behaviour of the NEMS torsional varactor is investigated. There are two bifurcation points, one of which is a Hopf bifurcation point and the other is an unstable saddle point. The phase portraits are also drawn, in which periodic orbits are around the Hopf bifurcation point, but the periodic orbit will break into a homoclinic orbit when meeting the unstable saddle point.

Action of the gravitational field on the dynamical Casimir effect

In this paper, we analyze the action of the gravitational field on the dynamical Casimir effect. We consider a massless scalar field confined in a cuboid cavity placed in a gravitational field described by a static and diagonal metric. With one of the plane mirrors of the cavity allowed to move, we compute the average number of particles created inside the cavity by means of the Bogoliubov coefficients computed through perturbative expansions. We apply our result to the case of an oscillatory motion of the mirror, assuming a weak gravitational field described by the Schwarzschild metric. The regime of parametric amplification is analyzed in detail, demonstrating that our computed result for the mean number of particles created agrees with specific associated cases in the literature. Our results, obtained in the framework of the perturbation theory, are restricted, under resonant conditions, to a short-time limit.

Dynamical Casimir effect and the structure of vacuum in quantum field theory

Some of the most interesting phenomena that arise from the developments of the modern physics are surely vacuum fluctuations. They appear in different branches of physics, such as Quantum Field Theory, Cosmology, Condensed Matter Physics, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and also in Mathematical Physics. One of the most important of these vacuum fluctuations, sometimes called "zero-point energy", as well as one of the easiest quantum effect to detect, is the so-called Casimir effect. The purposes of this thesis are: - To propose a simple retarded approach for dynamical Casimir effect, thus a description of this vacuum effect when we have moving boundaries. - To describe the behaviour of the force acting on a boundary, due to its self-interaction with the vacuum.

Biomechanical force displacement analysis of strength of fixation of tracker holding devices to bone in computer aided joint replacement

Computer aided joint replacement surgery has become very popular during recent years and is being done in increasing numbers all over the world. The accuracy of the system depends to a major extent, on accurate registration and immobility of the tracker attachment devices to the bone. This study was designed to asses the forces needed to displace the tracker attachment devices in the bone simulators. Bone simulators were used to maintain the uniformity of the bone structure during the study. The fixation devices tested were 3mm diameter self drilling, self tapping threaded pin, 4mm diameter self tapping cortical threaded pin, 5mm diameter self tapping cancellous threaded pin and a triplanar fixation device ‘ortholock’ used with three 3mm pins. All the devices were tested for pull out, translational and rotational forces in unicortical and bicortical fixation modes. Also tested was the normal bang strength and forces generated by leaning on the devices. The forces required to produce translation increased with the increasing diameter of the pins. These were 105N, 185N, and 225N for the unicortical fixations and 130N, 200N, 225N for the bicortical fixations for 3mm, 4mm and 5mm diameter pins respectively. The forces required to pull out the pins were 1475N, 1650N, 2050N for the unicortical, 1020N, 3044N and 3042N for the bicortical fixated 3mm, 4mm and 5mm diameter pins. The ortholock translational and pull out strength was tested to 900N and 920N respectively and still it did not fail. Rotatory forces required to displace the tracker on pins was to the magnitude of 30N before failure. The ortholock device had rotational forces applied up to 135N and still did not fail. The manual leaning forces and the sudden bang forces generated were of the magnitude of 210N and 150N respectively. The strength of the fixation pins increases with increasing diameter from three to five mm for the translational forces. There is no significant difference in pull out forces of four mm and five mm diameter pins though it is more that the three mm diameter pins. This is because of the failure of material at that stage rather than the fixation device. The rotatory forces required to displace the tracker are very small and much less that that can be produced by the surgeon or assistants in single pins. Although the ortholock device was tested to 135N in rotation without failing, one has to be very careful not to put any forces during the operation on the tracker devices to ensure the accuracy of the procedure.