Hannover 2016 – scientific programme

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A: Fachverband Atomphysik

A 13: Precision Measurements and Metrology IV (with Q)

A 13.1: Talk

Tuesday, March 1, 2016, 11:00–11:15, a310

A micromechanical proof-of-principle experiment for measuring the gravitational force of milligram masses — •Jonas Schmöle and Markus Aspelmeyer — Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna

We address 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 that should allow to observe gravity between milligram-scale source masses, thereby improving the current smallest source mass values by three orders of magnitude. 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.