A Low-Frequency Torsion Pendulum With Interferometric Readout

We describe a torsion pendulum with a large mass-quadrupole moment and a resonant frequency of 2.8 mHz, whose angle is measured using a Michelson interferometer. The system achieved noise levels of similar to 200 prad/root Hz between 0.2 and 30 Hz and similar to 10 prad/root Hz above 100 Hz. Such a system can be applied to a broad range of fields from the study of rotational seismic motion and elastogravity signals to gravitational wave observation and tests of gravity. Published under license by AIP Publishing.