Determination of the newtonian gravitational constant using atom interferometry.
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.
Lamporesi
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Dipartimento di Fisica and LENS, Università di Firenze-INFN Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
Bertoldi
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A
Cacciapuoti
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L
Prevedelli
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M
Tino
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GM