Quantifying Electric Field Gradient Fluctuations over Polymers Using Ultrasensitive Cantilevers

Electric field-induced deformation of polydimethylsiloxane polymers

Direct sampling of electric-field vacuum fluctuations.

The ground state of quantum systems is characterized by zero-point motion. This motion, in the form of vacuum fluctuations, is generally considered to be an elusive phenomenon that manifests itself only indirectly. Here, we report direct detection of the vacuum fluctuations of electromagnetic radiation in free space. The ground-state electric-field variance is inversely proportional to the four...

Electric-field fluctuations in random dielectric composites

When a composite is subjected to a constant applied electric, thermal, or stress field, the associated local fields exhibit strong spatial fluctuations. In this paper, we evaluate the distribution of the local electric field ~i.e., all moments of the field! for continuum ~off-lattice! models of random dielectric composites. The local electric field in the composite is calculated by solving the ...

Sign of the Electric Field Gradient Tensor

Electric field gradient effects in raman spectroscopy.

Raman spectra of materials subject to strong electric field gradients, such as those present near a metal surface, can show significantly altered selection rules. We describe a new mechanism by which the field gradients can produce Raman-like lines. We develop a theoretical model for this "gradient-field Raman" effect, discuss selection rules, and compare to other mechanisms that produce Raman-...