A micromechanical proof-of-principle experiment for measuring the gravitational force of milligram masses

Jonas Schmoele (Corresponding author), Mathias Dragosits, Hans Hepach, Markus Aspelmeyer

Publications: Contribution to journalArticlePeer Reviewed

Abstract

This paper addresses a simple question: how small can one make a gravitational source mass and still detect its gravitational coupling to a nearby test mass? We describe an experimental scheme based on micromechanical sensing to observe gravity between milligram-scale source masses, thereby improving the current smallest source mass values by three orders of magnitude and possibly even more. We also discuss the implications of such measurements both for improved precision measurements of Newton's constant and for a new generation of experiments at the interface between quantum physics and gravity.
Original languageEnglish
Article number125031
Number of pages19
JournalClassical and Quantum Gravity
Volume33
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 May 2016

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

  • 103028 Theory of relativity

Keywords

  • micromechanics
  • precision measurement
  • force sensing
  • gravitational constant
  • THERMAL NOISE
  • MECHANICAL RESONATOR
  • CHARGE MEASUREMENT
  • NEWTONS CONSTANT
  • GRAVITY
  • SEARCH
  • INTERFEROMETER
  • RELATIVITY
  • MICROSCOPY
  • BALANCE

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