Probing additional dimensions in the universe with neutron experiments

Abstract

We carry out a simple analysis of (n+3)-dimensional gravity in the context of recent work on 'large' supplementary dimensions and deduce a formula for the expected compactification radius for the n additional dimensions in the universe, as a function of the Planck and the electro-weak scales. We argue that the correspondingly modified gravitational force gives rise to effects that might be within the detection range of dedicated neutron experiments. A scattering analysis of the corresponding modified gravitational forces suggests that slow neutron scattering off atomic nuclei with null spin may provide an experimental test for these ideas.Comment: A revised version suggesting a specific neutron-scattering experiment. Physics Letters B, accepted for publicatio