Description

2012/09/10, Prof. Gert-Ludwig Ingold (University of Augsburg, Germany)

Place:  Sala de Seminarios del Departamento de Física Teórica e Historia de la Ciencia
Time:  12h
Title:   Casimir effect and quantum dissipation
 
 
Abstract
 
Vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field can give rise to a force between mirrors,
the so-called Casimir effect, which becomes important at distances of micrometers and
below. The Casimir force therefore is relevant in the context of micro- and nanoelectromechanical
systems and for tests of the gravitational force in the submicrometer regime. For a quantitative
account of the Casimir effect, the properties of real mirrors have to be considered. It turns out
that under certain circumstances negative entropies can occur. We will discuss the origin of this
effect for a parallel-plate geometry and make connection to the thermodynamics of a quantum
Brownian particle.