Engine cycle of an optically controlled vacuum energy transducer

An idealized system composed of two parallel, semiconducting boundaries sep arated by an empty gap of variable width is considered. A gedanken experime nt is discussed to show that, in general, the total work done by the Casimi r force along a closed path that includes appropriate transformations does not vanish. It is shown that, in the limit of an engine cycle bringing the two boundaries to a relatively small distance, positive net exchange of ene rgy associated with the Casimir force field could quite possibly be achieve d. Viable technological implementations of this idealized system are analyz ed in some quantitative detail, in particular, in the case of doped and und oped c-Si boundaries. For the purpose of direct experimentation, measuremen ts with both macroscopic and microelectromechanical de vices are suggested. A full theoretical and experimental study of systems of this kind on every scale will greatly contribute to a much deeper understanding of the nature of the Casimir force and associated concepts, including the possible manip ulation of semiconducting nanostructures and the noninvasive optical charac terization of semiconducting samples. In the event of no other alternative explanations, one should conclude that major technological advances in the area of endless, by-product free-energy production could be achieved. [S016 3-1829(99)05345-X].