"Space at Warp Speed" by Mariette DiChristina, Popular Science, pp46-51, 5/2001. About NASA Breakthrough Propulsion Program, and our role in it.
ZPV Background by Jordan Maclay, Quantum Fields LLC. Some general ideas on vacuum energy.
"Energy Unlimited," by Henry Bortman for New Scientist Magazine, pp32-34, 1/22/2000. Feature article on our vacuum energy project using MEMS devices to measure vacuum energy.
SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES
Publications about vacuum energy, vacuum fluctuations or zero point energy, Casimir forces
1. J. Maclay, R.L. Forward, "A Gedanken spacecraft that operates using the quantum vacuum (Dynamic Casimir effect)," Foundations of Physics 34, 477 (2004) March.
The above paper describes the first spacecraft that operates totally on energy from the quantum vacuum, using the excited vacuum for its drive. It doesn’t go very fast, but we still call it the Casimir Drive. The paper discusses the latest scientific ideas about extraction of energy from the vacuum. This is the last paper by Bob Forward, science fiction author and physicist, before he died. New Scientist described this paper in "Quantum Starship hits the slow lane."
2. J. Maclay, "The role of Quantum Vacuum forces in microelectromechanical systems," Progress in Quantum Physics Research, edited by V. Krashoholovets, Nova Science, New York, 2004.
This paper gives some fun speculations about the future relationship between vacuum energy and MEMS.
3. M. Serry, D. Walliser, J. Maclay, "The Anharmonic Casimir Oscillator," IEEE-ASME Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems 4,193-205, 1995.
This classic paper is the first paper that proposed and studied a dynamical or moving system with Casimir forces in it! It is an elegant study, and is the theoretical model implemented in the first MEMS device with Casimir forces made by Frederico Capasso, who wears some great ties, and collaborators when he was at Bells Labs. We wrote another first a few years later on the deflection of beams due to Casimir effects (below).
4. M. Serry, D. Walliser, J. Maclay, "The role of the casimir effect in the static deflection and stiction of membrane strips in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)," Journal of Applied Physics 84, 2501-2506 (1998).
Another first in the calculation of the effect of Casimir forces in MEMS systems.
5. L. Brown and J. Maclay, "Vacuum stress between conducting plates: an image
solution," Physical Review 184, 1791-1800 (1969).
Here it is, an oldie but goodie. This lucid paper revolutionized
the computation of vacuum energy and vacuum forces. It
was the first time they were computed as a function of position (stress-energy
tensor). The methods developed became the foundation
of modern vacuum energy computations. Done with
my insightful thesis advisor, Lowell Brown, a student of Nobel Laureate Julian
Schwinger, both very elegant in their physics.
6. J. Maclay, P. Milonni, "Quantized-field description of light in negative-index media," Optics Communications 228, 161-165, 2003
This is the first description of media with
a negative index of refraction of light in terms of quantized fields. All normal media have a positive index or refraction,
so these media show some unusual properties, like a Doppler shift that is
in the opposite direction from the normal shift. This
was written with my good friend Peter Milonni, quantum physicist extraordinaire,
who has just published an excellent monograph on recently discovered properties
of light: Fast Light,
Slow Light and Left Handed Light (Optics and Optoelectronics), Institute of
Physics, 2004. He also wrote the Quantum
Vacuum, An Introduction to Quantum Field Electrodynamics, Academic Press,
and it is the best introduction you can get, with lots of physical
insight and clear mathematics.
7. J. Maclay, P. Milonni, H. Fearn, "Of some theoretical significance:
implications of Casimir effects," European Journal of Physics 22, 463-469
(2001)
A great review of Casimir effects and vacuum energy, very readable, written in honor of Casimir’s death. Discusses the role of vacuum energy and Casimir forces in many areas, from the structure of the universe to microfabricated devices. Easy read for the nonspecialist.
8. J. Maclay, C. Villarreal, "A model for Casimir Forces in closed cavities with finite conductivity," presented at the symposium "Casimir Forces: Recent Results in experiment and theory," Harvard-Cambridge Center for astrophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, Nov. 14, 2002. The talk is available online at ITAMP website: http://itamp.harvard.edu/itamp_online.html. This talk focuses on the large gap between the vacuum forces or Casimir forces theoreticians calculate and what experimentalists measure. Suggestions are made on ways to narrow the gap.
9. J. Maclay, J. Hammer, M. George, R. Ilic, Q. Leonard, R. Clark, "Measurement of repulsive quantum vacuum forces," AIAA-2001-3359, AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE 37th Joint Propulsion Conference, Salt Lake City, 2001
Descriptions of experiments designed to measure repulsive forces.
10. J. Maclay, J. Hammer, "Vacuum forces in microcavities," Seventh International Conference on Squeezed States and Uncertainty Relations, Boston, MA June 4-6, 2001, Proceedings available online at website: http://www.physics.umd.edu/robot
Discussion of ideas about Casimir forces in small boxes and other structures.
11. J. Maclay, "An analysis of vacuum fluctuation energy and Casimir forces in conductive rectangular cavities," Phys. Rev. A. 61, 052110 (2000).
Summarizes key ideas in vacuum energy calculations for geometries that are not just the old parallel plate geometry. Good discussion of the unexpected features of vacuum energy and vacuum forces in little metal boxes (what we call rectangular cavities), such as the possibility of inward forces on one side and outward forces or zero force on other sides. Nice figures.
12. J. Maclay, "A design manual for micromachines using Casimir forces: preliminary considerations," PROCEEDINGS of STAIF-00 (Space Technology and Applications International Forum-2000, Albuquerque, NM, January, 1999), edited by M.S. El-Genk, AIP Conference Proceedings, American Institute of Physics, New York 2000. Published in hardcopy and CD-ROM by AIP.
This readable article talks about some simple ideas in the design of micromachines that are based on vacuum energy. It also points out the problems with some common ideas and why they don’t work.
13. J. Maclay, "Unusual properties of conductive rectangular cavities in the zero point electromagnetic field: Resolving Forward's Casimir energy extraction cycle paradox," PROCEEDINGS of STAIF-99 (Space Technology and Applications International Forum-1999, Albuquerque, NM, January, 1999), edited by M.S. El-Genk, AIP Conference Proceedings 458, American Institute of Physics, New York 1999. Published in hardcopy and CD-ROM by AIP.
This article presents the explanation of why Bob Forwards idea for extracting energy from the vacuum does not work. Usually we think that if the energy density in a box is greater than the energy density outside the box, that there will be an outward force on the walls of the box, which is what Bob’s idea was based on. However, for vacuum energy this it not true!
14. J. Maclay, R. Ilic, M. Serry, P. Neuzil, “Use of AFM (Atomic Force Microscope) Methods to Measure Variations in Vacuum Energy Density and Vacuum Forces in Microfabricated Structures,” NASA Breakthrough Propulsion Workshop, Cleveland, Ohio, May, 1997.
15. F. Serry, P. Neuzil, R. Vilasuso, and G. J. Maclay, "Air Damping of Resonant AFM Micro-Cantilevers in the Presence of a Nearby Surface," Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Microstructures and Microfabricated Systems, pp 83-89, Chicago, IL, October, 1995.
16. L. St. Clair, J. Maclay, "Metal Microbridges to Investigate Quantum Forces," Proceedings of the Winter Annual Meeting of the ASME, 9 pages, Chicago, II November, 6-11, 1994.
17. F. Serry, J. Maclay, "The Casimir Effect in a Model Microelectromechanical System," Illinois Chapter of the AVS Annual Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL, September, 1993.
18. R. Mast, M. Serry, J. Maclay, "Measurement of Forces in Microcavities due to Quantum Fluctuations," Prog. of 39th National Symposium of the American Vacuum Society, P. 323, Chicago, November 9-13, 1992.
