75 research outputs found
Phase Control of Squeezed Vacuum States of Light in Gravitational Wave Detectors
Quantum noise will be the dominant noise source for the advanced laser
interferometric gravitational wave detectors currently under construction.
Squeezing-enhanced laser interferometers have been recently demonstrated as a
viable technique to reduce quantum noise. We propose two new methods of
generating an error signal for matching the longitudinal phase of squeezed
vacuum states of light to the phase of the laser interferometer output field.
Both provide a superior signal to the one used in previous demonstrations of
squeezing applied to a gravitational-wave detector. We demonstrate that the new
signals are less sensitive to misalignments and higher order modes, and result
in an improved stability of the squeezing level. The new signals also offer the
potential of reducing the overall rms phase noise and optical losses, each of
which would contribute to achieving a higher level of squeezing. The new error
signals are a pivotal development towards realizing the goal of 6 dB and more
of squeezing in advanced detectors and beyond
High power and ultra-low-noise photodetector for squeezed-light enhanced gravitational wave detectors
Current laser-interferometric gravitational wave detectors employ a self-homodyne
readout scheme where a comparatively large light power (5â50 mW) is detected per photosensitive
element. For best sensitivity to gravitational waves, signal levels as low as the quantum
shot noise have to be measured as accurately as possible. The electronic noise of the detection
circuit can produce a relevant limit to this accuracy, in particular when squeezed states of light
are used to reduce the quantum noise. We present a new electronic circuit design reducing the
electronic noise of the photodetection circuit in the audio band. In the application of this circuit at
the gravitational-wave detector GEO 600 the shot-noise to electronic noise ratio was permanently
improved by a factor of more than 4 above 1 kHz, while the dynamic range was improved by
a factor of 7. The noise equivalent photocurrent of the implemented photodetector and circuit
is about 5 ”A/
â\ud
Hz above 1 kHz with a maximum detectable photocurrent of 20 mA. With the
new circuit, the observed squeezing level in GEO 600 increased by 0.2 dB. The new circuit also
creates headroom for higher laser power and more squeezing to be observed in the future in
GEO 600 and is applicable to other optics experiments
A high-flux BEC source for mobile atom interferometers
Quantum sensors based on coherent matter-waves are precise measurement
devices whose ultimate accuracy is achieved with Bose-Einstein condensates
(BEC) in extended free fall. This is ideally realized in microgravity
environments such as drop towers, ballistic rockets and space platforms.
However, the transition from lab-based BEC machines to robust and mobile
sources with comparable performance is a challenging endeavor. Here we report
on the realization of a miniaturized setup, generating a flux of quantum degenerate Rb atoms every 1.6s. Ensembles of atoms can be produced at a 1Hz rate. This is achieved by loading a
cold atomic beam directly into a multi-layer atom chip that is designed for
efficient transfer from laser-cooled to magnetically trapped clouds. The
attained flux of degenerate atoms is on par with current lab-based BEC
experiments while offering significantly higher repetition rates. Additionally,
the flux is approaching those of current interferometers employing Raman-type
velocity selection of laser-cooled atoms. The compact and robust design allows
for mobile operation in a variety of demanding environments and paves the way
for transportable high-precision quantum sensors.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figure
X-linked variations in SHROOM4 are implicated in congenital anomalies of the urinary tract and the anorectal, cardiovascular and central nervous systems
Background: SHROOM4 is thought to play an important role in cytoskeletal modification and development of the early nervous system. Previously, single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) or copy number variations (CNVs) in SHROOM4 have been associated with the neurodevelopmental disorder Stocco dos Santos syndrome, but not with congenital anomalies of the urinary tract and the visceral or the cardiovascular system.
Methods: Here, exome sequencing and CNV analyses besides expression studies in zebrafish and mouse and knockdown (KD) experiments using a splice blocking morpholino in zebrafish were performed to study the role of SHROOM4 during embryonic development.
Results: In this study, we identified putative disease-causing SNVs and CNVs in SHROOM4 in six individuals from four families with congenital anomalies of the urinary tract and the anorectal, cardiovascular and central nervous systems (CNS). Embryonic mouse and zebrafish expression studies showed Shroom4 expression in the upper and lower urinary tract, the developing cloaca, the heart and the cerebral CNS. KD studies in zebrafish larvae revealed pronephric cysts, anomalies of the cloaca and the heart, decreased eye-to-head ratio and higher mortality compared with controls. These phenotypes could be rescued by co-injection of human wild-type SHROOM4 mRNA and morpholino.
Conclusion: The identified SNVs and CNVs in affected individuals with congenital anomalies of the urinary tract, the anorectal, the cardiovascular and the central nervous systems, and subsequent embryonic mouse and zebrafish studies suggest SHROOM4 as a developmental gene for different organ systems
Direct limits for scalar field dark matter from a gravitational-wave detector
The nature of dark matter remains unknown to date, although several candidate particles are being considered in a dynamically changing research landscape1. Scalar field dark matter is a prominent option that is being explored with precision instruments, such as atomic clocks and optical cavities2â8. Here we describe a direct search for scalar field dark matter using a gravitational-wave detector, which operates beyond the quantum shot-noise limit. We set new upper limits on the coupling constants of scalar field dark matter as a function of its mass, by excluding the presence of signals that would be produced through the direct coupling of this dark matter to the beam splitter of the GEO600 interferometer. These constraints improve on bounds from previous direct searches by more than six orders of magnitude and are, in some cases, more stringent than limits obtained in tests of the equivalence principle by up to four orders of magnitude. Our work demonstrates that scalar field dark matter can be investigated or constrained with direct searches using gravitational-wave detectors and highlights the potential of quantum-enhanced interferometry for dark matter detection. © 2021, The Author(s)
Direct limits for scalar field dark matter from a gravitational-wave detector
The nature of dark matter remains unknown to date; several candidate
particles are being considered in a dynamically changing research landscape.
Scalar field dark matter is a prominent option that is being explored with
precision instruments, such as atomic clocks and optical cavities. Here we
report on the first direct search for scalar field dark matter utilising a
gravitational-wave detector, which operates beyond the quantum shot-noise
limit. We set new upper limits for the coupling constants of scalar field dark
matter as a function of its mass, by excluding the presence of signals that
would be produced through the direct coupling of this dark matter to the
beamsplitter of the GEO600 interferometer. The new constraints improve upon
bounds from previous direct searches by more than six orders of magnitude, and
are in some cases more stringent than limits obtained in tests of the
equivalence principle by up to four orders of magnitude. Our work demonstrates
that scalar field dark matter can be probed or constrained with direct searches
using gravitational-wave detectors, and highlights the potential of
quantum-enhanced interferometry for dark matter detection
Impact of Sleep Apnea on Cardioembolic Risk in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Data From the ESADA Cohort
Background and purpose: An accurate determination of the cardioembolic risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is crucial to prevent consequences like stroke. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a known risk factor for both AF and stroke. We aim to explore a possible association between OSA and an increased cardioembolic risk in patients with AF.Methods: We assessed data from the ESADA (European Sleep Apnea Database) cohort where patients with known AF and OSA were included. Parameters of OSA severity and related hypoxia like lowest Spo2 and 4% oxygen desaturation index were analyzed. Patients were stratified according to their cardioembolic risk estimated with the CHA2DS2-VASc score.Results: From the initial cohort of 14 646 patients, a final set of 363 patients were included in the analysis. Indices of hypoxia during sleep were associated with increased CHA2DS2-VASc score (4% oxygen desaturation index 17.9 versus 29.6 versus 30.5 events/hour and the lowest Spo2 81.2 versus 77.8 versus 77.5% for low, moderate, and high cardioembolic risk, respectively, PConclusions: These results support the potential role of OSA-related hypoxia in the risk for cardioembolic complications such as stroke in patients with AF.</p
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