Chiral Casimir-Polder Force from Chiral Anomaly in Weyl Semimetals
Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 186904 – Published 28 October, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/gny7-xz9s
Abstract
We propose a novel chiral-discriminatory Casimir-Polder interaction between chiral molecules and Weyl semimetals, originating from the chiral anomaly. This interaction is uniquely governed by the molecule’s electric dipole moment, enabling chiral discrimination even when the optical rotatory strength of the molecule vanishes. For the chiral molecule (characterized by strong spin-orbit coupling) and a rationally tailored Weyl semimetal, first-principles calculations predict a significantly enhanced chiral-discriminatory Casimir-Polder force compared to interactions between chiral molecule dimethyl disulphide and chiral metamaterial. We further propose a Stern-Gerlach-type spatial deflection measurement to isolate this chiral-specific interaction.