MEASUREMENT OF THE CASIMIR FORCE USING A MICROMECHANICAL TORSIONAL OSCILLATOR: ELECTROSTATIC CALIBRATION

Experimental procedures associated with the electrostatic calibration of a microelectromechanical torsional oscillator are reported. These calibration s are required for the precision measurements of the Casimir force between a Au-coated sapphire sphere and a Au-coated polysilicon plate. It is shown that the electrostatic force between the surfaces is made zero by the application of a potential difference V-o between the sphere and the plate. Vo is found to be independent of position and separation within the experimental error.