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We theoretically study the Casimir interaction between Weyl semimetals. When the distance a between semi-infinite Weyl semimetals is in the micrometer regime, the Casimir attraction can be enhanced by the chiral anomaly. The Casimir attraction depends sensitively on the relative orientations between the separations (b 1, b 2) of Weyl nodes in the Brillouin zone and show anisotropic behavior for the relative orientation of these separations (b 1, b 2) when they orient parallel to the interface. This anisotropy is quite larger than that in conventional birefringent materials. The Casimir force can be repulsive in the micrometer regime if the Weyl semimetal slabs are sufficiently thin and the direction of Weyl nodes separations (b 1, b 2) is perpendicular to the interface. The Casimir attraction between Weyl semimetal slabs decays slower than 1/a4 when the Weyl nodes separations b 1 and b 2 are both parallel to the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical nanoantennas have attracted significant attention over the past decades, owing to their exceptional capabilities in terms of light manipulation and versatile optical applications. Recently, active nanoantennas have been developed by introducing phase change materials, to achieve specific tunable electromagnetic responses. However, most of these attempts only function with 'ON'/'OFF' states or switch in a few discrete states, significantly restricting the application in dynamic tunability. Thus far, the continuous and reversible modulation of optical nanoantennas has not been sufficiently explored. In this article, we experimentally demonstrate a continuously and reversibly electro-tunable optical nanoantenna, by integrating an asymmetric gold nanodisk dimer array with a vanadium dioxide (VO2) film and graphene thin film. By accurately controlling the applied electrical current, the Joule heat generated in the graphene film excites the metal-insulator phase transition of VO2, and the refractive index of VO2 exhibits a relatively large variation. When VO2 is in the insulating phase, we observe an apparent resonance dip in the reflection spectrum, which is attributed to a hybrid mode originating from the gap plasmon in the dimers and localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonance excited at the edge of the nanodisks. Meanwhile, owing to the coupling between two asymmetric LSP resonances in the neighboring nanodisks, the reflected peak based on the Fano effect is realized. However, once VO2 is in the metallic phase, the hybrid mode becomes weaker and red-shifted, and the Fano effect disappears. Thereafter, the continuous and reversible electro-modulation of the nanoantenna features, including the resonant wavelength, resonant intensity, and quality factors (Q), are experimentally verified in the optical communication region, by varying the applied electrical current in the hybrid structure. To further increase the modulation range of these properties, we scan the gap size and structural asymmetry parameter of the nanodisk dimer. The results show that, with a smaller gap size, the resonant intensity of the nanoantenna is stronger. When the structural asymmetry parameter increases, the resonant wavelength is redshifted. We expect that such continuously and reversibly electro-tunable nanoantennas will stimulate various applications in optical communication systems, tunable photoelectric sensors, and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MAXI J1820+070 is a newly discovered black hole X-ray binary, whose dynamical parameters, namely the black hole mass, the inclination angle, and the source distance, have recently been estimated. Insight-HXMT have observed its entire outburst from 2018 March 14. In this work, we attempted to estimate the spin parameter a*, using the continuum-fitting method and applying a fully relativistic thin disk model to the soft-state spectra obtained by Insight-HXMT. It is well known that a* is strongly dependent on three dynamical parameters in this method, and we have examined two sets of parameters. Adopting our preferred parameters: M = , i = 63° ± 3°, and D = 2.96 ± 0.33 kpc, we found a slowly spinning black hole of a* = 0.14 ± 0.09 (1σ), which gives a prograde spin parameter as the majority of other systems show. It is also possible for the black hole to have a retrograde spin (less than 0) if different dynamical parameters are taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]