Abstract
At nanometer separation, the dominant interaction between an atom and a material surface is the fluctuation-induced Casimir–Polder potential. We demonstrate that slow atoms crossing a silicon nitride transmission nanograting are a remarkably sensitive probe for that potential. A 15% difference between nonretarded (van der Waals) and retarded Casimir–Polder potentials is discernible at distances smaller than 51 nm. We discuss the relative influence of various theoretical and experimental parameters on the potential in detail. Our work paves the way to high-precision measurement of the Casimir–Polder potential as a prerequisite for understanding fundamental physics and its relevance to applications in quantum-enhanced sensing.
- Received 31 March 2021
- Accepted 7 September 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.170402
© 2021 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
synopsis
Close Passes Give Atoms Tiny Quantum Kicks
Published 19 October 2021
A new technique in which atoms move slowly through a diffraction grating lets researchers measure the tiny Casimir-Polder interaction, a force that arises from quantum vacuum fluctuations.
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