Force Metrology as a Window to the Dark Sector
by
Seminarroom 3rd floor
PSK
Explaining dark energy and dark matter represents one of the biggest challenges in contemporary physics. Despite decades of searches using colliders and telescopes, and a vast landscape of theoretical approaches, an answer to the question what the dark sector is made of still eludes us. Even worse, precision astronomy has given hints that the standard picture involving a cosmological constant may not be enough. A similarly prominent and open question is the one if gravity can be reconceiled with our quantum (field) theoretical framework. In recent years, effective field theories have received increased attention, as they can represent possible extensions to our standard models in a generic way and thus permit indicative tests at much lower energy - using precision force measurements.
The Casimir and Non-Newtonian force EXperiment (CANNEX) is the only metrological setup worldwide operating in the configuration of plane parallel plates. This geometry allows interfacial and Cavendish-type measurements at much smaller distance scales than possible using traditional spherical objects allowing it to probe distinct parameter ranges. Cannex will test theories on Casimir physics, dark matter and dark energy models, and gravity.
In this talk, I will give an overview of the setup as well as the prospects to search for new interactions - starting mid 2025.