Modelling and Design of Photonic Structures for Quantum Trapping

Explore the fascinating world of quantum trapping in photonic structures through this 21-minute conference talk delivered by Sol Carretero Palacios at the Workshop on "Blackbody Radiation Induced Effects and Phenomena" held at the Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematics and Physics. Delve into the study of potential energy minima created by the balance of attractive and repulsive Casimir−Lifshitz forces when objects approach substrates in fluids. Examine two exemplary planar photonic structures: an optical resonator based on a levitating thin bilayer film and quantum trapping effects in planar nanocomposite materials. Learn about the design of high Q-factor optical cavities using common materials like silicon oxide, polystyrene, and gold, with glycerol as a mediating medium. Discover how the spatial inhomogeneity of nanocomposite materials affects quantum trapping, focusing on polystyrene spherical particles embedded in silicon oxide. Gain insights into the effective medium approximation and its role in predicting intense repulsive Casimir−Lifshitz forces. Understand the potential applications of these findings in designing photonic architectures where dispersion forces play a crucial role.