Hammering with the Quantum Vacuum

Electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations underlie the van der Waals and Casimir forces, which dominate much of the dynamics at the nanoscale. Here we propose a means to harness these forces to transmit intense, high-frequency mechanical pressure and power between surfaces across pure vacuum. Potentially large power densities (P>108 W/m2) should be sufficient to acoustically probe or heat bulk samples; to melt, vaporize and chemically alter surfaces. Power deposition can be made highly local, perhaps down to tens of square nanometers, thereby permitting new kinds of nanoscale microscopy, lithography, machining, and chemical manufacturing. Tests of this Hamaker hammer effect appear possible using inexpensive, off-the-shelf technology.