3 papers
quant-ph2025
Perspectives on Quantum Friction, Self-Propulsion, and Self-Torque
Kimball A. Milton, Nima Pourtolami, Gerard Kennedy
This paper provides an overview of the nonequilibrium fluctuational forces and torques acting on a body either in motion or at rest relative to another body or to the thermal vacuu…
quant-ph2025
Spontaneous Torque on an Inhomogeneous Chiral Body out of Thermal Equilibrium
Kimball A. Milton, Nima Pourtolami, Gerard Kennedy
In a previous paper we showed that an inhomogeneous body in vacuum will experience a spontaneous force if it is not in thermal equilibrium with its environment. This is due to the…
quant-ph2024
Quantum Vacuum Self-Propulsion and Torque
Kimball A. Milton, Nima Pourtolami, Gerard Kennedy
This article summarizes our recent efforts to understand spontaneous quantum vacuum forces and torques, which require that a stationary object be out of thermal equilibrium with th…