Competition-induced sign reversal of Casimir-Lifshitz torque: Investigation of topological nodal-line semimetals

Abstract

The dispersion of quasiparticles in topological node-line semimetals is significantly different in different directions. In a certain direction, the quasiparticles behave like relativistic particles with constant velocity. In other directions, they act as two-dimensional electron gas. The competition between relativistic and nonrelativistic dispersions can induce a sign reversal of Casimir-Lifshitz torque. Three different approaches can be applied to generate this sign reversal, i.e., tuning the anisotropic parameter or chemical potential in node-line semimetal, changing the distance between this material and substrate birefringence. Detailed calculations are illustrated for the system with topological node-line semimetal Ca$_3$P$_2$ and liquid crystal material 4-cyano-4-n-pentylcyclohexane-phenyl.