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Coated Fused Silica Fibers for Enhanced Sensitivity Torsion PendulumIn order to investigate the fundamental thermal noise limit of a torsion pendulum using a fused silica fiber, we systematically measured and modeled the mechanical losses of thin fused silica fibers coated by electrically conductive thin metal films. Our results indicate that it is possible to achieve a thermal noise limit for coated silica lower by a factor between 3 and 9, depending on the silica diameter, compared to the best tungsten fibers available. This will allow a corresponding increase in sensitivity of torsion pendula used for weak force measurements, including the gravitational constant measurement and ground-based force noise testing for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission.
Document ID
20070022248
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Numata, Kenji
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Horowitz, Jordan
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Camp, Jordan
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2007
Subject Category
Composite Materials
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG06E090A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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