Optical Resonators based on Casimir Forces -INVITED

• Main Authors: Carretero-Palacios Sol, Esteso Victoria, Míguez Hernán
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 2020-01-01
• Series: EPJ Web of Conferences
• Online Access: https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2020/14/epjconf_eosam2020_10003.pdf

The work here presented demonstrates theoretically that it is possible to create optical resonators based on levitation properties of thin films subjected to repulsive Casimir-Lifshitz forces. Our optical cavity design is made up of commonly found materials, such as silicon oxide, polystyrene or gold, with glycerol as a mediating medium, which supports high Q-factor optical modes at visible frequencies. The balance between flotation and repulsive Casimir-Lifshitz forces in the system allows the fine-tuning of the optical cavity thickness and hence its modes. Finally, we show that well-defined spectral features in the reflectivity allows by indirect means, an accurate prediction of the estimated equilibrium distance at which some part of the optical cavity arrangement levitates.