A new approach to the evaluation of Casimir and van der Waals forces in the transition region

This paper studies the incorporation of Casimir and van der Waals forces applied to a nanostructure with parallel configuration. The focus of this study is in a transition region in which Casimir force gradually transforms into van der Waals force. It is proposed that in the transition region, a proportion of both Casimir and van der Waals forces, as the interacting nanoscale forces, can be considered based on the separation distance between upper structure and substrate during deflection. Moreover, as the separation distance descends during deflection, the nanoscale forces could transform from Casimir to a proportion of both Casimir and van der Waals forces and so as to van der Waals. This is also extended to the entire surface of the nanostructure in such a way that any point of the structure may be subjected to Casimir, van der Waals or a proportion of both of them about its separation distance from the substrate. Therefore, a mathematical model is presented which calculate the incorporation of Casimir and van der Waals forces considering transition region and their own domination area. The mechanical behavior of a circular nano-plate has been investigated as a case study to illustrate how different approaches to nanoscale forces lead to different results. For this purpose, the pull-in phenomena and frequency response in terms of magnitude have been studied based on Eringen nonlocal elasticity theory. The results are presented using different values of the nonlocal parameter and indicated in comparison with those of the classical theory. These results also amplify the idea of studying the mechanical behavior of nanostructures using the nonlocal elasticity theory.     

Van der Waals forces in electrolyte solutions

In this article we study van der Waals forces in electrolyte solutions from a local point of view. It is shown for arbitrary geometry that the classical limit of the force density exerted on the ions, as found in the macroscopic theory of van der Waals forces, is identical with the force density calculated from electrostatics and thermodynamic fluctuation theory. Thus neither retardation, nor the Lorentz force affect the average force density.     

Experiments on the reflection of cold atoms from magnetic thin films

We report the results from a series of experiments in which ferromagnetic thin films were used as atom mirrors for laser-cooled rubidium atoms released from a magneto-optical trap. The thin films were made of cobalt and lanthanum calcium manganite (LCMO) with thicknesses between 20 and 300 nm. The magnetic domains in these thin films have a periodic structure where the spatial period is of the order of the thickness of the film, and the field decays exponentially above the film over a length scale comparable to the domain size. Thus, the neutral atoms reflect off these films from distances comparable to the thickness of the film, resulting in modification of the reflectivity due to the competition between the repulsive magnetic force and the attractive short-range forces such as van der Waals and Casimir forces. The smoothness of the atom mirror is also modified due to the proximity of the magnetic domains. The reflectivity is sensitive to the domain structure and size, which can be modified in LCMO by applying a modest external magnetic field. In this paper, we discuss the evaluation of the thin films as magnetic mirrors for atom optics, and the measurement of the van der Waals force with an accuracy of about 15%, using cobalt thin films. We also discuss some preliminary results on the temperature-dependent reflectivity for atoms near the ferromagnetic transition at 250 K in the LCMO film, and on the domain dynamics and relaxation.     

On the van der Waals interaction of carbon nanocones

Based on the continuum Lennard-Jones model, the van der Waals interaction of two concentric and eccentric carbon nanocones with different or identical sizes are investigated in this paper. Also, on the basis of classical mathematical modeling techniques, a new semi-analytical solution is given to evaluate the van der Waals potential energy and interaction force distributions of two concentric carbon nanocones. Finally, a universal potential energy is presented for the carbon nanocones.     

Force spectroscopy in noncontact mode

We have analyzed the possibility of using noncontact scanning force microscopy (NCAFM) to detect variations in surface composition, i.e., to detect a ‘spectroscopic image' of the sample. This ability stems from the fact that the long-range forces, acting between the AFM tip and sample, depend on the composition of the AFM tip and sample. The long-range force can be magnetic, electrostatic, or van der Waals forces. Detection of the first two forces is presently used in scanning force microscopy technique, but van der Waals forces have not been used. We demonstrate that the recovery of spectroscopic image has a unique solution. Furthermore, the spectroscopic resolution can be as good as lateral one.     

范德瓦尔斯磁性材料CrOCl变磁性相变的磁力显微镜研究

近年来,二维范德瓦尔斯磁性材料因为在自旋电子学的应用前景而吸引了广泛的关注.CrOCl是一种范德瓦尔斯磁性材料,理论预言其单层具有高达160 K的居里温度,因此吸引了广泛的关注。为了更好的理解这一材料的磁性,我们利用磁力显微镜研究了CrOCl变磁性相变中磁畴结构随磁场的变化。实验发现,在2K下CrOCl样品表面出现随磁场变化的方格条纹,给出了变磁性相比中反铁磁相和铁磁相竞争的图样,并通过二维快速傅里叶变换证实了CrOCl磁性的各向异性。我们的结果为后续研究CrOCl薄层的磁性提供了参考依据。     

Harmonic dynamical behaviour of thallous halides

Harmonic dynamical behaviour of thallous halides (TlCl and TlBr) have been studied using the new van der Waals three-body force shell model (VTSM), which incorporates the effects of the van der Waals interaction along with long-range Coulomb interactions, three-body interactions and short-range second neighbour interactions in the framework of rigid shell model (RSM). Phonon dispersion curves (PDC), variations of Debye temperature with absolute temperature and phonon density of state (PDS) curves have been reported for thallous halides using VTSM. Comparison of experimental values with those of VTSM and TSM are also reported in the paper and a good agreement between experimental and VTSM values has been found, from which it may be inferred that the incorporation of van der Waals interactions is essential for the complete harmonic dynamical behaviour of thallous halides.     

基于扫描电子显微镜的碳纳米管拾取操作方法研究

碳纳米管场效应管是未来纳米器件的发展方向,而制造纳米器件的前提是拾取碳纳米管,基于扫描电子显微镜(SEM)的微纳机器人操作系统能够实现碳纳米管拾取操作.本文建立拾取操作中碳纳米管与原子力显微镜(AFM)探针间范德瓦耳斯力力学模型,不同接触状态下范德瓦耳斯力越大越有利于拾取碳纳米管.在SEM视觉反馈图像中建立相对坐标系,首先提出倾角变值方法检测碳纳米管与AFM探针的接触状态,然后运用动态差值方法识别碳纳米管与AFM探针空间位姿并校正碳纳米管位姿,最后自下而上拾取碳纳米管.实验结果表明:拟合直线倾角变值较大时碳纳米管与AFM探针发生接触,动态差值变化为零时碳纳米管与AFM探针为空间线接触,在完全线接触模型下选择合适的接触角度、接触长度和拾取速度能够成功拾取碳纳米管.     

Higher order elastic constants of alkali halides

The Coulomb, van der Waals and repulsive lattice sums occurring in the higher order elastic constants up to sixth order have been calculated for the rocksalt and cesium chloride structures. Numerical values of the static elastic constants up to sixth order based on a rigid ion model with van der Waals and Born-Mayer type central force interaction between first and second nearest neighbors are calculated for several alkali halides representing both structure types. Fair agreement with the available experimental third and fourth order elastic constant data is found.     

Finite element simulation for estimating the mechanical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes

A finite element simulation technique for estimating the mechanical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes is developed. In the present modeling concept, individual carbon nanotube is simulated as a frame-like structure and the primary bonds between two nearest-neighboring atoms are treated as beam elements, the beam element properties are determined via the concept of energy equivalence between molecular dynamics and structural mechanics. As to the simulation of the interlayer van der Waals force which has intrinsic nonlinearity and complicated applying region, a simplifying method is proposed that the interlayer pressure caused by van der Waals force instead of the force itself is to be considered, and we make use of the linear part of the interlayer pressure near the equilibrium condition to avoid the nonlinearity in problem, then linear spring elements whose stiffness is determined by equivalent force concept can be utilized to simulate the interlayer van der Waals force such that significant modeling and computing effort is saved in performing the finite element analysis. Numerical examples for estimating the mechanical properties of nanotubes, such as axial and radial Young’s modulus, shear modulus, natural frequency, buckling load, etc., are presented to illustrate the accuracy of this simulation technique. By comparing to the results found in the literature and the possible analytical solutions, it shows that the obtained mechanical properties of nanotubes by the present method agree well with their comparable results. In addition, the relations between these mechanical properties and the nanotube size are also discussed.     

二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的制备与物性研究

二维范德瓦尔斯材料(可简称二维材料)已发展成为备受瞩目的材料大家族,而由其衍生的二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的集成、性能及应用是现今凝聚态物理和材料科学领域的研究热点之一.二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构为探索丰富多彩的物理效应和新奇的物理现象,以及构建新型的自旋电子学器件提供了灵活而广阔的平台.本文从二维材料的转移技术着手,介绍二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的构筑、性能及应用.首先,依据湿法转移和干法转移的分类,详细介绍二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的制备技术,内容包括转移技术的通用设备、常用转移方法的具体操作步骤、三维操纵二维材料的方法、异质界面清洁.随后介绍二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的性能和应用,重点介绍二维磁性范德瓦尔斯异质结构,并列举在二维范德瓦尔斯磁隧道结和摩尔超晶格领域的应用.因此,二维材料转移技术的发展和优化将进一步助力二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构在基础科学研究和实际应用上取得突破性的成果.     

范德华力对双壁碳纳米管轴向压缩屈曲行为的影响

使用分子动力学方法研究几种不同半径尺寸的单壁碳纳米管组成的双壁碳管，预测了其初始稳定构型；分析了其自由弛豫阶段的特征；并模拟了它们在轴向压缩载荷作用下的屈曲行为；研究了不同层间距导致的范德华力变化对屈曲行为的影响.采用Tersoff-Brenner势描述单壁碳纳米管内原子间作用，Lennard-Jones势描述内外层间的范德华相互作用.计算结果表明：在通常意义下的双壁管间距(约0.34 nm)外还可以存在稳定的双壁碳管构型，并且这些新的稳定构型表现出了不同的力学性质. 关键词： 双壁碳纳米管 分子动力学 屈曲     

二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的制备与物性研究

二维范德瓦尔斯材料(可简称二维材料)已发展成为备受瞩目的材料大家族,而由其衍生的二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的集成、性能及应用是现今凝聚态物理和材料科学领域的研究热点之一.二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构为探索丰富多彩的物理效应和新奇的物理现象,以及构建新型的自旋电子学器件提供了灵活而广阔的平台.本文从二维材料的转移技术着手,介绍二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的构筑、性能及应用.首先,依据湿法转移和干法转移的分类,详细介绍二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的制备技术,内容包括转移技术的通用设备、常用转移方法的具体操作步骤、三维操纵二维材料的方法、异质界面清洁.随后介绍二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构的性能和应用,重点介绍二维磁性范德瓦尔斯异质结构,并列举在二维范德瓦尔斯磁隧道结和摩尔超晶格领域的应用.因此,二维材料转移技术的发展和优化将进一步助力二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构在基础科学研究和实际应用上取得突破性的成果.     

Studium der van der Waals-Kraft im Bereich kleiner Abstände

The theory of Dzyaloshinskii allows us to calculate the van der Waals force acting between two surfaces which are held at a distance of 10⁴ Å and less. This calculation was based on the experimentally determined absorption data of quarz. The deflection of a thin quarz plate which was supported at one end with a vaporized bar has been measured to verify the theoretical results. Within the range of accuracy a fair agreement could be reached.     

First-principles theory of van der Waals forces between macroscopic bodies

We present a first-principles method for the determination of the van der Waals interactions for a collection of finite-sized macroscopic bodies. The method is based on fluctuational electrodynamics and a rigorous multiple-scattering method for the electromagnetic field. As such, the method takes fully into account retardation, many-body, multipolar, and near-fields effects. By application of the method to the case of two metallic nanoparticles, we demonstrate the breakdown of the standard 1/r(2) distance law as the van der Waals force decays exponentially with distance when the nanoparticles are too close or too far apart.     

论范德瓦尔斯a和b参数与温度的关系

范德瓦尔斯方程中a、b参数是否与温度相关,不但不同文献中的说法互不相同,而且有同一文献前后的结论相互矛盾.本文分析了这个令人迷惑的问题.在热力学中a和b参量被处理为与温度无关,它仅仅在临界点附近有效并可以把范德瓦尔斯方程表述为对应态定律;在更加广泛的温度区间a、b参量和温度有关,但是范德瓦尔斯方程却丧失了其独特性.统计物理文献把a和b参量处理成为位力展开的一种拟合方程,发现一般情况下两个参数都依赖于温度,仅仅在特殊情况下和温度无关,以说明对应态定律成立的条件.热力学和统计物理关于a和b参量是否依赖于温度相互矛盾的表述,源于这两个理论中范德瓦尔斯状态方程适用范围不同.     

Dynamic scanning force microscopy at low temperatures on a van der Waals surface: graphite (0001)

The (0001) surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite is studied by scanning force microscopy in both contact and dynamic mode. Low temperatures were necessary for the dynamic mode measurements in order to achieve the required signal to noise ratio. At 22 K, atomic scale structures with 2.46 Å periodicity and trigonal symmetry of the individual maxima were obtained in both modes. Since graphite exhibits a van der Waals surface in good approximation, this result shows that comparatively weak forces of van der Waals type are sufficient for successful imaging in the dynamic mode on the atomic scale. However, since the positions of the observed maxima correspond to the ones found by scanning tunneling microscopy and contact scanning force microscopy, but not to the positions of the carbon atoms, it also opens new questions on the imaging mechanism in the dynamic mode.     

Developing nanoscale inertial sensor based on graphite-flake with self-retracting motion

We presented simple schematics of a nanoscale inertial measurement unit based on the self-retraction motion of the graphene flakes. When an external force is applied to the nanoscale graphite flake, the inertial force exerted on the movable layer can telescope it, then the self-restoring force also arises as the van der Waals force between the interlayers of the flake, which each suspended flake can automatically and fully retract back onto the top of the graphite platform immediately after the externally applied force is released. Since the van der Waals force linearly increases with the increasing size of the flake, the sensing limitation can be controlled. When the external force does not exceed the retracting force, this addressed nanoscale inertial measurement unit can be semi-permanently used. Therefore, the size and the thickness of the graphene flake should be carefully selected with a tradeoff. These graphite flakes can be utilized as a basic structure in various nanoelectromechanical devices, such as switch and memory, linear and angular accelerometers, and pressure sensors.     

A mechanical approach to one-dimensional interacting gas

Derivations of the van der Waals equation typically use standard recipes involving ensemble averages of statistical mechanics. In this work, we study a box of weakly interacting gas particles in one-dimension by explicitly incorporating the mechanical point of view. This has the merit that it not only reproduces the van der Waals equation but also tells us some extra interesting physics not immediately clear from a pure statistical mechanical approach. For example, we show that the traditional handwaving argument leading to van der Waals equation requires closer scrutiny if it is to get things right.     

Dephasing in an atom

When an atom in vacuum is near the surface of a dielectric the energy of a fluctuating electromagnetic field depends on a distance between them resulting, as known, in a force called van der Waals. Besides this fluctuation phenomenon there is one associated with formation of a mean electric field, which is equivalent to an order parameter. In this case atomic electrons are localized within atomic distances close to the atom and the total ground state energy is larger, compared to the bare atom, due to the polarization of the dielectric and the creation of a mean electric field locally distributed in the dielectric. The phenomenon differs from the usual ferroelectricity and has a pure quantum origin. This results in (i) an unusual atom-dielectric force different from the van der Waals one and (ii) an anomalous Lamb shift in the atom.