Quantum Friction Near Nonreciprocal Media and Chiral Media

Explore quantum friction experienced by polarizable charged particles moving parallel to planar interfaces in this 21-minute conference talk from the Workshop on "Blackbody Radiation Induced Effects and Phenomena" at the Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematics and Physics. Delve into the modifications of quantum friction when interfaces consist of chiral media or nonreciprocal media, with a focus on topological insulators. Examine the Casimir-Polder frequency shift and decay rate generalizations for matter with time-reversal symmetry breaking, violating the Lorentz reciprocity principle. Investigate the vacuum state as a starting point for finite temperature generalizations, and analyze nonretarded and retarded limits for five examples: perfectly conducting mirror, perfectly reflecting nonreciprocal mirror, three-dimensional topological insulator, perfectly reflecting chiral mirror, and isotropic chiral medium. Discover different power laws for these materials and uncover intriguing connections between chirality and nonreciprocity in both frequency shift and decay rate, arising from magnetoelectric coupling.