In 2006, a final result of a measurement of the gravitational constant $G$ performed by researchers at the University of Zurich was published. A value of $G=6.674,252(122)times 10^{-11},mbox{m}^3,mbox{kg}^{-1},mbox{s}^{-2}$ was obtained after an expe
rimental effort that lasted over one decade. Here, we briefly summarize the measurement and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this approach.
We describe an autocollimating optical angle sensor with a dynamic range of 9 mrad and nrad/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity at frequencies from 5 mHz to 3 kHz. This work improves the standard multi-slit autocollimator design by adding two optical components, a
reference mirror and a condensing lens. This autocollimator makes a differential measurement between a reference mirror and a target mirror, suppressing common-mode noise sources. The condensing lens reduces optical aberrations, increases intensity, and improves image quality. To further improve the stability of the device at low frequencies the body of the autocollimator is designed to reduce temperature variations and their effects. A new data processing technique was developed in order to suppress the effects of imperfections in the CCD.
We briefly summarize motivations for testing the weak equivalence principle and then review recent torsion-balance results that compare the differential accelerations of beryllium-aluminum and beryllium-titanium test body pairs with precisions at the
part in $10^{13}$ level. We discuss some implications of these results for the gravitational properties of antimatter and dark matter, and speculate about the prospects for further improvements in experimental sensitivity.
Accumulation of electrical charge on the end mirrors of gravitational wave observatories, such as the space-based LISA mission and ground-based LIGO detectors, can become a source of noise limiting the sensitivity of such detectors through electronic
couplings to nearby surfaces. Torsion balances provide an ideal means for testing gravitational wave technologies due to their high sensitivity to small forces. Our torsion pendulum apparatus consists of a movable Au-coated Cu plate brought near a Au-coated Si plate pendulum suspended from a non-conducting quartz fiber. A UV LED located near the pendulum photoejects electrons from the surface, and a UV LED driven electron gun directs photoelectrons towards the pendulum surface. We have demonstrated both charging and discharging of the pendulum with equivalent charging rates of $sim$$10^5 e/mathrm{s}$, as well as spectral measurements of the pendulum charge resulting in a white noise level equivalent to $3times10^5 e/sqrt{Hz}$.
We used a continuously rotating torsion balance instrument to measure the acceleration difference of beryllium and titanium test bodies towards sources at a variety of distances. Our result Delta a=(0.6+/-3.1)x10^-15 m/s^2 improves limits on equivale
nce-principle violations with ranges from 1 m to infinity by an order of magnitude. The Eoetvoes parameter is eta=(0.3+/-1.8)x10^-13. By analyzing our data for accelerations towards the center of the Milky Way we find equal attractions of Be and Ti towards galactic dark matter, yielding eta=(-4 +/- 7)x10^-5. Space-fixed differential accelerations in any direction are limited to less than 8.8x10^-15 m/s^2 with 95% confidence.
We have built a highly sensitive torsion balance to investigate small forces between closely spaced gold coated surfaces. Such forces will occur between the LISA proof mass and its housing. These forces are not well understood and experimental invest
igations are imperative. We describe our torsion balance and present the noise of the system. A significant contribution to the LISA noise budget at low frequencies is the fluctuation in the surface potential difference between the proof mass and its housing. We present first results of these measurements with our apparatus.
