论文标题
测量毫米大小质量之间的重力耦合
Measurement of Gravitational Coupling between Millimeter-Sized Masses
论文作者
论文摘要
我们证明了大约1mm半径和90mg质量的两个金球之间的重力耦合。通过定期调节频率f = 12.7MHz的源质量位置，我们在测试质量的位置产生一个时间依赖的引力加速度，该加速度在测试质量的位置进行，以微型扭转平衡构型以共振进行测量。在350小时的整合时间内，测试质量振荡器可实现4E-11M/S^2的系统精度和4E-12M/S^2的统计精度。这足以在两个质量之间的400MUM表面距离上解析重力信号。我们观察到线性和二次耦合，在信号强度上与时变1/R重力电位保持一致。非重力力的贡献可以保持在观察到的信号的少于10％。我们期望进一步的改进，以使重力分离为远低于普朗克质量的物体的耦合力。这为在孤立的微观源质量的新制度中的重力测试开辟了道路。
We demonstrate gravitational coupling between two gold spheres of approximately 1mm radius and 90mg mass. By periodically modulating the source mass position at a frequency f=12.7mHz we generate a time-dependent gravitational acceleration at the location of the test mass, which is measured off resonance in a miniature torsional balance configuration. Over an integration time of 350 hours the test mass oscillator enables measurements with a systematic accuracy of 4E-11m/s^2 and a statistical precision of 4E-12m/s^2. This is sufficient to resolve the gravitational signal at a minimal surface distance of 400mum between the two masses. We observe both linear and quadratic coupling, consistent in signal strength with a time-varying 1/r gravitational potential. Contributions of non-gravitational forces could be kept to less than 10% of the observed signal. We expect further improvements to enable the isolation of gravity as a coupling force for objects well below the Planck mass. This opens the way for precision tests of gravity in a new regime of isolated microscopic source masses.
