dc readout experiment at the Caltech 40m prototype interferometer

Document #:

LIGO-P070125-x0

Document type:

P - Publications

Abstract:

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) operates a 40m prototype interferometer on the Caltech campus. The primary mission of the prototype is to serve as an experimental testbed for upgrades to the LIGO interferometers and for gaining experience with advanced interferometric techniques, including detuned resonant sideband extraction (i.e. signal recycling) and dc readout (optical homodyne detection). The former technique will be employed in Advanced LIGO, and the latter in both Enhanced and Advanced LIGO. Using dc readout for gravitational wave signal extraction has several technical advantages, including reduced laser and oscillator noise couplings as well as reduced shot noise, when compared to the traditional rf readout technique (optical heterodyne detection) currently in use in large-scale ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors. The Caltech 40m laboratory is currently prototyping a dc readout system for a fully suspended interferometric gravitational wave detector. The system includes an optical filter cavity at the interferometer's output port, and the associated controls and optics to ensure that the filter cavity is optimally coupled to the interferometer. We present the results of measurements to characterize noise couplings in rf and dc readout using this system.

Files in Document:

• P070125-00.pdf (2.5 MB)

Other Files:

• P070125-P.pdf (625.3 kB)

Topics:

• Document Migration from the old DCC
• Public relations

Authors:

• Robert Ward
• Jay Heefner
• Tobin Fricke
• Michael Smith
• Valery Frolov
• Robert Taylor
• Alan Weinstein
• Steve Vass
• Rolf Bork
• Sam Waldman
• Rich Abbott
• Alexander Ivanov
• Osamu Miyakawa
• Benjamin Abbott
• Bram Slagmolen
• Rana Adhikari
• Darcy Barron
• Kirk Mckenzie

Notes and Changes:

Rev P070125-00-Z:
- Full document number: LIGO-P070125-00-Z
- Author(s): Robert Ward; Rana Adhikari; Benjamin Abbott; Rich Abbott; Darcy Barron; Rolf Bork; T Fricke; Valera Frolov; Jay Heefner; Alex Ivanov; Osamu Miyakawa; Kirk Mckenzie; Bram Slagmolen; Michael Smith; Robert Taylor; Steve Vass; Sam Waldman; Alan Weinstein
- Document date: 2007-10-19
- Document received date: 2007-10-19
- Document entry date: 2007-10-19

Referenced by:

Journal References:

Published in Class Quant Grav vol. 25 pg. 114030 (8pp).

Publication Information:

http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/0264-9381/25/11/114030/