PRECISION-MEASUREMENT OF THE CASIMIR FORCE FROM 0.1 TO 0.9 MU-M

We have used an atomic force microscope to make precision measurements of the Casimir force between a metallized sphere of diameter 196 mu m and flat plate. The force was measured for plate sphere surface separ ations from 0.1 to 0.9 mu m. The experimental results are consistent w ith present theoretical calculations including the finite conductivity , roughness, and temperature corrections. The root mean square average deviation of 1.6 pN between theory and experiment corresponds to a 1% deviation at the smallest separation. [S0031-9007(98)07763-1].