12 // Casimir Sieve Static Measurement
We build arrays of nanofabricated tubes. If you force a gas atom (Xenon or Argon) into a cavity smaller than its own electron cloud's wavelength, the vacuum energy sustaining that electron is suppressed.
The atom enters the nano-cavity. The vacuum pressure inside is lower. The electron sheds a photon to drop to a new, lower energy state. We line these cavities with nano-optical rectennas — rectifying antennas made of graphene-tipped multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). These capture the emitted photon and convert it to DC current.
The atom exits the cavity. Upon returning to the open vacuum, it re-absorbs energy to restore its electron shell. Whether the cycle yields net energy or simply recycles it remains the central open question. We pump the gas in a closed loop and measure the energy differential as atoms transit between suppressed and unsuppressed vacuum regions.
Based on Moddel/Haisch simulations: 70–100 Watts per square meter of active surface area, if the theoretical models hold. Comparable to a mediocre solar panel — but entirely contingent on experimental validation that net extraction is physically possible. That validation is the purpose of this program.