Contact: Ho Bun Chan
hochan@phys.ufl.edu
352-392-6691
University of Florida

Scanning Electron Micrograph

Caption: A scanning electron micrograph, taken with an electron microscope, shows the comb-like structure of a metal plate at the center of newly published University of Florida research on quantum physics. UF physicists found that corrugating the plate reduced the Casimir force, a quantum force that draws together very close objects. The discovery could prove useful as tiny "microelectromechanical" systems -- so-called MEMS devices that are already used in a wide array of consumer products -- become so small they are affected by quantum forces.

Credit: Yiliang Bao and Jie Zoue/University of Florida

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