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arXiv · 0806.4765

Temporal Extent of Surface Potentials between Closely Spaced Metals

Scott E Pollack·Stephan Schlamminger·Jens Gundlach
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Abstract

Variations in the electrostatic surface potential between the proof mass and electrode housing in the space-based gravitational wave mission LISA is one of the largest contributors of noise at frequencies below a few mHz. Torsion balances provide an ideal testbed 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 $30, \uVhz$ above approximately 0.1, mHz, rising at lower frequencies, for the surface potential variations between these two closely spaced metals.

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Scott E Pollack, Stephan Schlamminger, Jens Gundlach. 2008-06-29. Temporal Extent of Surface Potentials between Closely Spaced Metals. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.101.071101

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