The Casimir Force is a pressure present on conducting plates in a vacuum, and was confirmed by Hendrik Casimir, a Dutch physicist some fifty years ago. The force arises from the fact that a vacuum contains a minimum energy in the form of electromagnetic waves that are quantized.
The waves are confined and reflected when two conducting plates are closely spaced and present in a vacuum and when the waves are of high frequency and "fit" the space between the plates. This is the basis of "Quantum Vacuum Energy" as the waves are reflected by the boundaries of the confinement. The Department of Defense is participating in a two-year program to determine if the Casimir effect can be controlled, alternately changing this force from attractive force to a repulsive force. Magnetic materials are the answer to producing a "Giant Casimir Force".
A Casimir Cavity is a tiny vacuum chamber in which conductive boundaries are charged and energy levels changed by squeezing or pushing out these boundaries alternately.
Quantum vacuum energy is produced by controlling the boundary conditions of a quantum cavity. This has the effect of changing the energy levels of confined electrons. Quantum Vacuum Energy is simply a conversion of magnetic vibrations to virtual electrons. This excess energy is due in part to electrons tunneling outside the cavity and then returning.
One method of charging the boundaries of a Casimir Cavity might be to utilize an ultra-thin dielectric material with an oxide capacitor skin having piezoelectric properties. Advanced nanostructured materials are the answer. The boundaries would be alternately squeezed and then stretched by customizing the magnetic properties of the oxide. Boundaries with magnetic nanostructured quantum confined magnetic alloys could do the trick.
By alternately squeezing, then stretching the boundaries of a quantum cavity, the energy levels of electrons confined in the cavity can be controlled and energy can be taken out of the quantum vacuum through electron tunneling and reflection.
Quantum vacuum energy is a brand new form of energy that is converting zero point vibrations into virtual electrons. This new form of energy can conceivably some day take the place of oil, coal, and nuclear power, and can put the United States on a journey toward greater energy security helping us to avoid the worst effects of rapid global climate change.
Quantum vacuum energy right now is in its infancy and it will be years before advanced nanostructured materials are wide spread. However, energy security is a long-term goal of the United States, and is being sought after globally. We can continue to work on advanced science, and cooperating with other countries some day solve the world’s problems one by one.
Ralph Randolph Sawyer
