Towards an experimental proof of superhydrophobicity enhanced by quantum fluctuations freezing on a broadband-absorber metamaterial

TL;DR

This study explores the potential enhancement of superhydrophobicity through quantum vacuum mode inhibition on broadband-absorber metamaterials, combining theoretical predictions with experimental validation on patterned silicon surfaces.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental evidence supporting the theoretical concept of quantum fluctuation freezing enhancing superhydrophobicity on engineered surfaces.

Findings

Patterned silicon surfaces can freeze quantum photon modes.

Superhydrophobicity is achieved only on surfaces that freeze quantum modes.

The results support the role of quantum fluctuations in superhydrophobicity enhancement.

Abstract

Previous theoretical works suggested that superhydrophobicity could be enhanced through partial inhibition of the quantum vacuum modes at the surface of a broadband-absorber metamaterial which acts in the extreme ultraviolet frequency domain. This effect would then compete with the classical Cassie-Baxter interpretation of superhydrophobicity. In this article, we first theoretically establish the expected phenomenological features related to such a kind of "quantum" superhydrophobicity. Then, relying on this theoretical framework, we experimentally study patterned silicon surfaces on which organosilane molecules were grafted, all the coated surfaces having similar characteristic pattern sizes but different profiles. Some of these surfaces can indeed freeze quantum photon modes while others cannot. While the latter ones allow hydrophobicity, only the former ones allow for superhydrophobicity. We believe these results lay the groundwork for further complete assessment of superhydrophobicity induced by quantum fluctuations freezing.