Constraining modified gravity with quantum optomechanics

TL;DR

This paper explores how cavity optomechanical sensors can set new bounds on modifications to gravity, such as Yukawa and chameleon-like theories, by modeling their effects on an oscillating source-sphere.

Contribution

It provides a first-principles derivation of the fundamental sensitivity of optomechanical sensors to detect modified gravity effects, accounting for screening effects due to the size of the probe.

Findings

Optomechanical systems can potentially improve constraints on chameleon-like gravity modifications.

The study quantifies the screening effect due to the size of the probe relative to the force range.

Fundamental sensitivity limits are derived for detecting deviations from Newtonian gravity.

Abstract

We derive the best possible bounds that can be placed on Yukawa- and chameleon-like modifications to the Newtonian gravitational potential with a cavity optomechanical quantum sensor. By modelling the effects on an oscillating source-sphere on the optomechanical system from first-principles, we derive the fundamental sensitivity with which these modifications can be detected in the absence of environmental noise. In particular, we take into account the large size of the optomechanical probe compared with the range of the fifth forces that we wish to probe and quantify the resulting screening effect when both the source and probe are spherical. Our results show that optomechanical systems in high vacuum could, in principle, further constrain the parameters of chameleon-like modifications to Newtonian gravity.