Limits on non-Newtonian gravity and hypothetical forces from measurements of the Casimir force

Modern unification theories that seek to unify gravity with the other fundamental forces predict a host of new particles outside the standard model. Many also invoke extra dimensions. Both of these effects lead to deviations from Newtonian gravity. For sub micron distance between two bodies, the Casimir force far exceeds the gravitational force. Thus both understanding and using the Casimir force is very important for checking the relevance of these unification theories. In particular, measurements of the Casimir force has allowed one to set some of the strongest constraints for corresponding distance regions. This paper summarizes the techniques used to measure the Casimir force and some of the limits that follow from them.