Calibration of the LIGO displacement actuators via laser frequency modulation

Document #:

LIGO-P0900259-v6

Document type:

P - Publications

Abstract:

We present a new technique for calibration of the displacement actuators of a km-scale interferometric gravitational-wave detector. By modulating the frequency of the laser light with the interferometer locked in a single-arm configuration, we create an effective length variation that we use to calibrate the voice coil actuators that control the arm length. By simultaneously driving the voice coil actuator at a nearby frequency, we are able to calibrate the voice coil actuation coefficient with an estimated one–sigma uncertainty of less than one percent. This technique enables a force-free, single-step actuator calibration.

Files in Document:

• .pdf file (published version) (VCOpaperPublished.pdf, 305.8 kB)

Other Files:

• Publication Sample with NSF Acknowledgement.pdf (39.4 kB)

Topics:

• Calibration
• Commissioning

Authors:

• Evan Goetz
• Richard Savage

Keywords:

calibration VCO frequency modulation

Notes and Changes:

Published version.

Referenced by:

• LIGO-G1400519-v3: Impressions of CARM/ALS
• LIGO-E1500442: aLIGO, CAL, Publications