200 research outputs found
SQUID developments for the gravitational wave antenna MiniGRAIL
We designed two different sensor SQUIDs for the readout of the resonant mass gravitational wave detector MiniGRAIL. Both designs have integrated input inductors in the order of 1.5 muH and are planned for operation in the mK temperature range. Cooling fins were added to the shunt resistors. The fabricated SQUIDs show a behavior that differs from standard DC-SQUIDs. We were able to operate a design with a parallel configuration of washers at reasonable sensitivities. The flux noise saturated to a value of 0.84 muPhi0/radicHz below a temperature of 200 mK. The equivalent noise referred to the current through the input coil is 155 fA/radicHz and the energy resolution yields 62 h
Sensitivity of the spherical gravitational wave detector MiniGRAIL operating at 5 K
We present the performances and the strain sensitivity of the first spherical
gravitational wave detector equipped with a capacitive transducer and read out
by a low noise two-stage SQUID amplifier and operated at a temperature of 5 K.
We characterized the detector performance in terms of thermal and electrical
noise in the system output sygnal. We measured a peak strain sensitivity of
at 2942.9 Hz. A strain sensitivity of better than
has been obtained over a bandwidth of 30 Hz. We expect
an improvement of more than one order of magnitude when the detector will
operate at 50 mK. Our results represent the first step towards the development
of an ultracryogenic omnidirectional detector sensitive to gravitational
radiation in the 3kHz range.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Physical Review
An automated and versatile ultra-low temperature SQUID magnetometer
We present the design and construction of a SQUID-based magnetometer for
operation down to temperatures T = 10 mK, while retaining the compatibility
with the sample holders typically used in commercial SQUID magnetometers. The
system is based on a dc-SQUID coupled to a second-order gradiometer. The sample
is placed inside the plastic mixing chamber of a dilution refrigerator and is
thermalized directly by the 3He flow. The movement though the pickup coils is
obtained by lifting the whole dilution refrigerator insert. A home-developed
software provides full automation and an easy user interface.Comment: RevTex, 10 pages, 10 eps figures. High-resolution figures available
upon reques
MiniGRAIL progress report 2004
The MiniGRAIL detector was improved. The sphere was replaced by a slightly larger one, having a diameter of 68 cm (instead of 65 cm), reducing the resonant frequency by about 200 Hz to around 2.9 kHz. The last four masses of the attenuation system were machined to increase their resonant frequency and improve the attenuation around the resonant frequency of the sphere. In the new sphere, six holes were machined on the TIGA positions for easy mounting of the transducers. During the last cryogenic run, two capacitive transducers and a calibrator were mounted on the sphere. The first transducer was coupled to a double-stage SQUID amplifier having a commercial quantum design SQUID as a first stage and a DROS as a second stage. The second transducer was read by a single-stage quantum design SQUID. During the cryogenic run, the sphere was cooled down to 4 K. The two-stage SQUID had a flux noise of about 1.6 ÎŒ0 Hzâ1/2. The detector was calibrated and the sensitivity curve of MiniGRAIL was determined
Development of a transducer for MiniGrail
Abstract We are developing a two-mode inductive resonant transducer for MiniGrail. We report several quality factor measurements, down to 4.2 K, performed on a scaled size resonator in different conditions: when suspended from a wire and when clamped, by thermal contraction techniques, into a hole of a sphere of 150 mm diameter and 14 kg mass. Q-factor measurements of a first resonator prototype at 4.2 K for MiniGrail are also presented. Finally, a fabrication process for a Nb film pick-up coil is described
GRAIL, an omni-directional gravitational wave detector
A cryogenic spherical and omni-directional resonant-mass detector proposed by
the GRAIL collaboration is described.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figs., contribution to proceedings GW Data Analysis
Workshop, Paris, nov. 199
The Past, Present and Future of the Resonant-Mass Gravitational Wave Detectors
Resonant-mass gravitational waves detectors are reviewed from the concept of
gravitational waves and its mathematical derivation, using Einstein's general
relativity, to the present status of bars and spherical detectors, and their
prospects for the future, which include dual detectors and spheres with
non-resonant transducers. The review covers not only the technical aspects of
detectors and the science that will be done, but also analyses the subject in a
historic perspective, covering the various detection efforts over four decades,
starting from Weber's pioneering work.Comment: 49 pages, 45 figures, invited review article, which will be published
at Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics (RAA
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