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Phys. Rev. A 72, 033610 (2005) [6 pages]

Measurement of the Casimir-Polder force through center-of-mass oscillations of a Bose-Einstein condensate

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D. M. Harber, J. M. Obrecht, J. M. McGuirk*, and E. A. Cornell†
JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA

Received 3 June 2005; published 13 September 2005

See accompanying Physics Focus

We have performed a measurement of the Casimir-Polder force using a magnetically trapped 87Rb Bose-Einstein condensate. By detecting perturbations of the frequency of center-of-mass oscillations of the condensate perpendicular to the surface, we are able to detect this force at a distance ∼5 μm, significantly farther than has been previously achieved, and at a precision approaching that needed to detect the modification due to thermal radiation. Additionally, this technique provides a limit for the presence of non-Newtonian gravity forces in the ∼1 μm range.

© 2005 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevA.72.033610
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevA.72.033610
PACS:
03.75.Kk, 34.50.Dy, 31.30.Jv, 04.80.Cc

*Present address: Simon Fraser University, Department of Physics, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6

†Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology.

 
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