(2018) Somers, David Andrew Templeton; Munday, Jeremy N; Physics; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Quantum electromagnetic field fluctuations result in the well-documented Casimir-Lifshitz force between macroscopic objects. If the objects are anisotropic, theory predicts a corresponding Casimir-Lifshitz torque that causes the objects to rotate and align. In this work, we report the first measurements of the Casimir-Lifshitz torque, which confirm the predictions first made decades ago. The experimental design uses a nematic liquid crystal separated from a birefringent crystal by an isotropic Al2O3 layer with a thickness
