Falko Schmidt has been invited to present his work on Defying stiction using repulsive critical Casimir forces at the autumn colloquium at the University of Kassel, Germany.

Title of Talk:  Defying Stiction: Counteracting Casimir-Lifshitz Attraction with Repulsive Critical Casimir Forces for Dynamic Control of Micro- and Nanodevices

Date/Time: 01.11.2023 15:35 CET

Place: CINSaT, University of Kassel

Abstract: Stiction, a persistent challenge in the development of micro- and nanodevices, is caused by the typically attractive Casimir–Lifshitz forces, a manifestation of quantum electrodynamics. While some efforts have been made to create repulsive Casimir–Lifshitz forces, the limitations of specialized materials have hindered their widespread application. In this talk, we highlight how repulsive critical Casimir forces, observed in critical binary liquid mixtures near the critical temperature, can actively counteract stiction. We demonstrate how these forces can enable dynamic control and nanometer precision in manipulating microscopic and nanoscopic objects, thus paving the way for a new era in the advancement of micro- and nanodevices.

Big thanks to Prof. Hartmut Hillmer for the kind invitation and the insights into his captivating work on next generation of smart glasses using MEMS.