Temporal extent of surface potentials between closely spaced metals.
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.
Pollack
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Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-4290, USA. skotep@skotep.com
Schlamminger
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Gundlach
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