Quantum friction and graphene

TL;DR

This paper discusses the concept of quantum friction, its theoretical background, and how the unique properties of graphene could enable experimental observation of this elusive quantum phenomenon.

Contribution

It proposes that quantum friction can be experimentally observed in graphene on SiO₂, providing a new avenue to study this debated quantum effect.

Findings

Quantum friction is caused by quantum fluctuations between moving bodies.

Graphene's properties make it a promising material for observing quantum friction.

Experimental detection of quantum friction in graphene is feasible with current technology.

Abstract

Friction is usually a very complicated process. It appears in its most elementary form when two flat surfaces separated by vacuum gap are sliding relative to each other at zero Kelvin and the friction is generated by the relative movement of quantum fluctuations. For several decades physicists have been intrigued by the idea of quantum friction. It has recently been shown that two non-contacting bodies moving relative to each other experience a friction due to quantum fluctuations inside the bodies \cite{VolokitinRMP2007}. However until recent time there was no experimental evidence for or against this effect, because the predicted friction forces are very small, and precise measurements of quantum forces are incredibly difficult with present technology. The existence of quantum friction is still debated even among theoreticians \cite{Philbin2009,Pendry2010,VolokitinNJP2011}. However, situation drastically changed with the creation of new material - graphene. We recently proposed \cite{VolokitinPRL2011} that quantum friction can be observed in experiments studying electrical transport phenomena in nonsuspended graphene on amorphous SiO$_2$ substrate.