Constraints on Yukawa-type deviations from Newtonian gravity at 20 microns

Recent theories of physics beyond the standard model have predicted deviations from Newtonian gravity at short distances. In order to test these theories, we have a built an apparatus that can measure attonewton-scale forces between gold masses separated by distances on the order of $25\mu \mathrm{m}$. A micromachined silicon cantilever was used as the force sensor, and its displacement was measured with a fiber interferometer. We have used our measurements to set bounds on the magnitude $\alpha$ and length scale $\lambda$ of Yukawa-type deviations from Newtonian gravity; our results presented here yield the best experimental limit in the range of $\lambda =6–20\mu \mathrm{m}$.