title: Temporal extent of surface potentials between closely spaced metals.
abstract: Variations in the electrostatic surface potential between the proof mass and electrode housing in the space-based gravitational wave mission Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is one of the largest contributors of noise at frequencies below a few mHz. Torsion balances provide an ideal test bed for investigating these effects in conditions emulative of LISA. Our apparatus consists of a Au coated Cu plate brought near a Au coated Si plate pendulum suspended from a thin W wire. We have measured a white noise level of 30 microV/sqrt Hz above approximately 0.1 mHz, rising at lower frequencies, for the surface potential variations between these two closely spaced metals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-4290, USA. skotep@skotep.com
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schlamminger
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Gundlach