An on-chip experimental assessment Of Casimir force effect in micro-electromechanical systems

The influence of Casimir force on the mechanical behaviour of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) has deserved much attention in the recent scientific literature. This paper reports the outcomes of an experimental test, carried out on a micro-structure which reproduces the essential features of real-life MEMS. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of Casimir forces between two parallel plates, separated by a sub-micron gap. The results of the tests are critically evaluated by comparison with theoretical predictions, account taken of some peculiar features of Casimir forces for silicon slabs in real MEMS. The obtained results suggest that Casimir force could play an important role for micro and nano devices.