7 research outputs found
Particle Physics Probes Of Extra Spacetime Dimensions
The possibility that spacetime is extended beyond the familiar 3+1-dimensions
has intrigued physicists for a century. Indeed, the consequences of a
dimensionally richer spacetime would be profound. Recently, new theories with
higher dimensional spacetimes have been developed to resolve the hierarchy
problem in particle physics. These scenarios make distinct predictions which
allow for experiment to probe the existence of extra dimensions in new ways. We
review the conceptual framework of these scenarios, their implications in
collider and short-range gravity experiments, their astrophysical and
cosmological effects, as well as the constraints placed on these models from
present data.Comment: Submitted to Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science, 29 page
Trapping colloids near chemical stripes via critical Casimir forces
We study theoretically and experimentally the solvent-mediated critical
Casimir force acting on colloidal particles immersed in a binary liquid mixture
of water and 2,6-lutidine and close to substrates which are chemically
patterned with periodically alternating stripes of antagonistic adsorption
preferences. These patterns are experimentally realized via microcontact
printing. Upon approaching the critical demixing point of the solvent, normal
and lateral critical Casimir forces generate laterally confining effective
potentials for the colloids. We analyze in detail the rich behavior of the
spherical colloids close to such substrates. For all patterned substrates we
investigated, our measurements of these effective potentials agree with the
corresponding theoretical predictions. Since both the directions and the
strengths of the critical Casimir forces can be tuned by minute temperature
changes, this provides a new mechanism for controlling colloids as model
systems, opening encouraging perspectives for applications.Comment: Invited contribution to Molecular Physics Special Issue on Bob Evans'
65th birthda
Towards a realistic interpretation of quantum mechanics providing a model of the physical world
It is argued that a realistic interpretation of quantum mechanics is possible
and useful. Current interpretations, from Copenhagen to many worlds are
critically revisited. The difficulties for intuitive models of quantum physics
are pointed out and possible solutions proposed. In particular the existence of
discrete states, the quantum jumps, the alleged lack of objective properties,
measurement theory, the probabilistic character of quantum physics, the
wave-particle du- ality and the Bell inequalities are analyzed. The sketch of a
realistic picture of the quantum world is presented. It rests upon the assump-
tion that quantum mechanics is a stochastic theory whose randomness derives
from the existence of vacuum fields. They correspond to the vacuum fluctuations
of quantum field theory, but taken as real rather than virtual.Comment: 43 pages, paper throughout revised and somewhat enlarged, sections on
the Bell inequalities and on the sketch of a picture of the quantum world
rewritten, new references adde