Zero Point Density Fluctuations and Electron Brownian Motion

Abstract

The fluctuations in the phonon vacuum state can lead to zero point density fluctuations in a material, which in turn lead to local zero point fluctuations of the dielectric properties of the material. We argue that the density fluctuations lead to a fluctuating force on a test charge, such as an electron, located a short distance outside of the material. This force is due to fluctuating dipole moments inside the material, and produces Brownian motion of the electron. We calculate the mean squared velocity of the electron in both the normal and transverse direction relative to the boundary of the material. The result is nonzero in both directions, but larger in the normal case. We estimate the magnitude of this quantum Brownian motion and find that, in some cases, it can exceed the effects of both thermal motion and quantum momentum uncertainty. This suggests that the effect may be observable, and could constitute a source of quantum noise in nanoscale devices. It also potentially offers a means to remotely sense zero point density fluctuations in a material.