Test of the Equivalence Principle with Chiral Masses Using a Rotating Torsion Pendulum

Lin Zhu, Qi Liu, Hui-Hui Zhao, Qi-Long Gong, Shan-Qing Yang, Pengshun Luo, Cheng-Gang Shao, 

Qing-Lan Wang, Liang-Cheng Tu, and Jun Luo

Here we present a new test of the equivalence principle designed to search for the possible violation of gravitational parity using test bodies with different chiralities. The test bodies are a pair of left- and right-handed quartz crystals, whose gravitational acceleration difference is measured by a rotating torsion pendulum. The result shows that the acceleration difference towards Earth Δa_left-right=[-1.7±4.1(stat) ±4.4(syst)]×10^-15ms^-2 (1-σ statistical uncertainty), correspondingly the Eötvös parameter η=[-1.2±2.8(stat) ±3.0(syst)] ×10^-13. This is the first reported experimental test of the equivalence principle for chiral masses and opens a new way to the search for the possible parity-violating gravitation.

期刊名：PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS

期/卷：121

页码：261101

发表时间：2018年12月

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.261101