Abstract:
The possibility of mechanical detection of Casimir friction with the use of a noncontact atomic force microscope is discussed. A SiO$_2$ probe tip located above a graphene-coated SiO$_2$ substrate is subjected to the frictional force caused by a fluctuating electromagnetic field produced by a current in graphene. This frictional force will create the bend of a cantilever, which can be measured by a modern noncontact atomic force microscope. Both the quantum and thermal contributions to the Casimir frictional force can be measured using this experimental setup. This result can also be used to mechanically detect Casimir friction in micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems.
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