697 research outputs found
Laser power stabilization for second-generation gravitational wave detectors
We present results on the power stabilization of a Nd:YAG laser in the frequency band from 1 Hz to 100 kHz. High-power, low-noise photodetectors are used in a dc-coupled control loop to achieve relative power fluctuations down to 5×10−9 Hz−1/2 at 10 Hz and 3.5×10−9 Hz−1/2 up to several kHz, which is very close to the shot-noise limit for 80 mA of detected photocurrent on each detector. We investigated and eliminated several noise sources such as ground loops and beam pointing. The achieved stability level is close to the requirements for the Advanced LIGO gravitational wave detector
Homodyne locking of a squeezer
We report on the successful implementation of a new approach to locking the
frequencies of an OPO-based squeezed-vacuum source and its driving laser. The
technique allows the simultaneous measurement of the phase-shifts induced by a
cavity, which may be used for the purposes of frequency-locking, as well as the
simultaneous measurement of the sub-quantum-noise-limited (sub-QNL) phase
quadrature output of the OPO. The homodyne locking technique is cheap, easy to
implement and has the distinct advantage that subsequent homodyne measurements
are automatically phase-locked. The homodyne locking technique is also unique
in that it is a sub-QNL frequency discriminator.Comment: Accepted to Optics Letter
The GEO 600 laser system
Interferometric gravitational wave detectors require high optical power, single frequency lasers with very good beam quality and high amplitude and frequency stability as well as high long-term reliability as input light source. For GEO 600 a laser system with these properties is realized by a stable planar, longitudinally pumped 12 W Nd:YAG rod laser which is injection-locked to a monolithic 800 mW Nd:YAG non-planar ring oscillator. Frequency control signals from the mode cleaners are fed to the actuators of the non-planar ring oscillator which determines the frequency stability of the system. The system power stabilization acts on the slave laser pump diodes which have the largest influence on the output power. In order to gain more output power, a combined Nd:YAGNd:YVO4 system is scaled to more than 22 W
Multiplexed communication over a high-speed quantum channel
In quantum information systems it is of particular interest to consider the
best way in which to use the non-classical resources consumed by that system.
Quantum communication protocols are integral to quantum information systems and
are amongst the most promising near-term applications of quantum information
science. Here we show that a multiplexed, digital quantum communications system
supported by comb of vacuum squeezing has a greater channel capacity per photon
than a source of broadband squeezing with the same analogue bandwidth. We
report on the time-resolved, simultaneous observation of the first dozen teeth
in a 2.4 GHz comb of vacuum squeezing produced by a sub-threshold OPO, as
required for such a quantum communications channel. We also demonstrate
multiplexed communication on that channel
Reconstructing Gaussian bipartite states with a single polarization-sensitive homodyne detector
Stabilized High Power Laser for Advanced Gravitational Wave Detectors
Second generation gravitational wave detectors require high power lasers with several 100W of output power and with very low temporal and spatial fluctuations. In this paper we discuss possible setups to achieve high laser power and describe a 200W prestabilized laser system (PSL). The PSL noise requirements for advanced gravitational wave detectors will be discussed in general and the stabilization scheme proposed for the Advanced LIGO PSL will be described. Special emphasis will be given to the most demanding power stabilization requiremets and new results (RIN ≤ 4×10-9/surdHz) will be presented
Intensity and frequency noise reduction of a Nd:YAG NPRO via pump light stabilisation
We have shown that pump light intensity stabilisation of a single-mode laser diode pumped Nd:YAG non-planar ring oscillator (NPRO) results in significant intensity noise reduction of the NPRO, as well as frequency noise suppression in the same order of magnitude. This effect does not occur in conventional laser diode array pumped NPROs due to mode beating effects originating in the multi-mode pump. As opposed to individual intensity and frequency stabilisation, pump light stabilisation contributes a simplified stabilisation scheme for single-mode laser diode pumped NPROs for high precision applications
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