English

Wading through the void: Exploring quantum friction and nonequilibrium fluctuations

Quantum Physics 2022-04-01 v2

Abstract

When two or more objects move relative to one another in vacuum, they experience a drag force which, at zero temperature, usually goes under the name of quantum friction. This contactless non-conservative interaction is mediated by the fluctuations of the material-modified quantum electrodynamic vacuum and, hence, is purely quantum in nature. Numerous investigations have revealed the richness of the mechanisms at work, thereby stimulating novel theoretical and experimental approaches and identifying challenges as well as opportunities. In this article, we provide an overview of the physics surrounding quantum friction and a perspective on recent developments.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2112.12195,
  title  = {Wading through the void: Exploring quantum friction and nonequilibrium fluctuations},
  author = {Daniel Reiche and Francesco Intravaia and Kurt Busch},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.12195},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

15 pages, 2 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-24T08:28:39.881Z