title: Determination of the newtonian gravitational constant using atom interferometry.
abstract: We present a new measurement of the Newtonian gravitational constant G based on cold-atom interferometry. Freely falling samples of laser-cooled rubidium atoms are used in a gravity gradiometer to probe the field generated by nearby source masses. In addition to its potential sensitivity, this method is intriguing as gravity is explored by a quantum system. We report a value of G = 6.667 x 10(-11) m(3) kg(-1) s(-2), estimating a statistical uncertainty of +/-0.011 x 10(-11) m(3) kg(-1) s(-2) and a systematic uncertainty of +/-0.003 x 10(-11) m(3) kg(-1) s(-2). The long-term stability of the instrument and the signal-to-noise ratio demonstrated here open interesting perspectives for pushing the measurement accuracy below the 100 ppm level.
authors: Dipartimento di Fisica and LENS, Università di Firenze-INFN Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Lamporesi
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bertoldi
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Cacciapuoti
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Prevedelli
authors: G M
authors: GM
authors: Tino