Probing Fundamental Physics with Gravitational Experiments

该奖项允许华盛顿大学ot- wash小组开发超灵敏的扭转平衡仪器，能够探测现代理论物理学中提出的超弱力，特别是试图将重力与其他三种基本力统一起来。具体而言，将制订下列文书：1)通过测试牛顿平方反比定律来探测“大”额外维度，其长度尺度远小于人类头发的直径；2)以比先前发表的结果高50倍的灵敏度测试爱因斯坦弱等效原理；3)通过测试洛伦兹对称或电荷宇称（CP）和电荷宇称时间（CPT）违反来寻找量子引力效应；4)寻找质量在1000微电子伏特左右的类轴子粒子产生的力。5)在接近绝对零度的温度下工作，以研究限制扭力平衡灵敏度的因素。Eot-Wash集团一直对他们调查的广泛有趣的问题提供最精确的研究。这需要在地面和空间引力波探测等其他领域得到应用的技术创新。该小组的成果被基本粒子、引力和宇宙学理论家用来约束有趣的新想法，并通过出版物、评论论文、讨论会、邀请演讲、实验室参观和公开讲座广泛传播，并在美国和欧洲的杂志和报纸上刊登文章。该小组解决的各种科学问题和涉及的许多实验挑战为研究生和博士后提供了良好的实验物理教育，同时也为本科生的研究项目提供了非常有吸引力的机会。

This award allows the University of Washington Eot-Wash Group to develop ultra-sensitive torsion-balance instruments capable of detecting the ultra-weak forces suggested by modern ideas in theoretical physics, especially attempts to unify gravity with the other three fundamental forces. In particular, instruments will be developed that: 1) probe for ``large'' extra dimensions by testing Newton's inverse-square law down to length scales substantially smaller than the diameter of a human hair, 2) test Einstein's Weak Equivalence Principle with a sensitivity fifty times better than previously published results, 3) look for quantum gravity effects by testing Lorentz symmetry or charge-parity (CP) and charge-parity-time (CPT) violation,4) search for the force produced by axion-like particles with masses around 1000 micro-eV, 5) operate at temperatures close to absolute zero to study factors that limit torsion-balance sensitivity.The Eot-Wash Group has consistently provided the most precise studies of the broadly interesting issues they investigate. This required technical innovations that have found applications in other areas such as ground and space-based gravitational-wave detection. The Group's results are used by elementary-particle, gravitational and cosmological theorists to constrain interesting new ideas, are widely disseminated through publications, review papers, colloquia, invited talks, lab tours and public lectures, and are featured in magazine and newspaper articles in this country and in Europe. The variety of scientific issues addressed by the Group and the many experimental challenges involved provide an excellent education in experimental physics for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, as well as unusually attractive opportunities for undergraduate research projects.