Magnetically Activated Rotational Vacuum Friction

Abstract

We predict the existence of a torque acting on an isotropic neutral nanosphere activated by a static magnetic field when the particle temperature differs from the surrounding vacuum. This phenomenon originates in time-reversal symmetry breaking of the particle interaction with the vacuum electromagnetic field. We present a rigorous quantum treatment of photons and particle excitations that leads to a nonzero torque even in a motionless particle. We also find that the dynamical evolution of the particle temperature and rotation frequency follow an exotic dynamics, including spontaneous changes in the rotation direction. Magnetically activated thermal vacuum torques open a unique avenue for the investigation of the effect of time-reversal symmetry-breaking in thermal and Casimir physics.