101 research outputs found
Upper Bounds on Spontaneous Wave-Function Collapse Models Using Millikelvin-Cooled Nanocantilevers
6siCollapse models predict a tiny violation of energy conservation, as a consequence of the spontaneous collapse of the wave function. This property allows us to set experimental bounds on their parameters. We consider an ultrasoft magnetically tipped nanocantilever cooled to millikelvin temperature. The thermal noise of the cantilever fundamental mode has been accurately estimated in the range 0.03 – 1 K, and any other excess noise is found to be negligible within the experimental uncertainty. From the measured data and the cantilever geometry, we estimate the upper bound on the continuous spontaneous localization collapse rate in a wide range of the correlation length rC. Our upper bound improves significantly previous constraints for r_C > 10^−6  m, and partially excludes the enhanced collapse rate suggested by Adler. We discuss future improvements.openopenVinante, A.; Bahrami, M.; Bassi, A.; Usenko, O.; Wijts, G.; Oosterkamp, T.H.Vinante, A.; Bahrami, Mohammad; Bassi, Angelo; Usenko, O.; Wijts, G.; Oosterkamp, T. H
Upper Bounds on Spontaneous Wave-Function Collapse Models Using Millikelvin-Cooled Nanocantilevers
Modeling and Simulation of a Microstrip-SQUID Amplifier
Using a simple lumped-circuit model, we numerically study the dependence of
the voltage gain and noise on the amplifier's parameters. Linear, quasi-linear,
and nonlinear regimes are studied. We have shown that the voltage gain of the
amplifier cannot exceed a characteristic critical value, which decreases with
the increase of the input power. We have also shown that the spectrum of the
voltage gain depends significantly on the level of the Johnson noise generated
by the SQUID resistors.Comment: 13 page
Initial operation of the International Gravitational Event Collaboration
The International Gravitational Event Collaboration, IGEC, is a coordinated
effort by research groups operating gravitational wave detectors working
towards the detection of millisecond bursts of gravitational waves. Here we
report on the current IGEC resonant bar observatory, its data analysis
procedures, the main properties of the first exchanged data set. Even though
the available data set is not complete, in the years 1997 and 1998 up to four
detectors were operating simultaneously. Preliminary results are mentioned.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables; Proceeding of the GWDAW'99. Submitted
to the International Journal of Modern Physic
IGEC2: A 17-month search for gravitational wave bursts in 2005-2007
We present here the results of a 515 days long run of the IGEC2 observatory,
consisting of the four resonant mass detectors ALLEGRO, AURIGA, EXPLORER and
NAUTILUS. The reported results are related to the fourfold observation time
from Nov. 6 2005 until Apr. 14 2007, when Allegro ceased its operation. This
period overlapped with the first long term observations performed by the LIGO
interferometric detectors. The IGEC observations aim at the identification of
gravitational wave candidates with high confidence, keeping the false alarm
rate at the level of 1 per century, and high duty cycle, namely 57% with all
four sites and 94% with at least three sites in simultaneous observation. The
network data analysis is based on time coincidence searches over at least three
detectors: the four 3-fold searches and the 4-fold one are combined in a
logical OR. We exchanged data with the usual blind procedure, by applying a
unique confidential time offset to the events in each set of data. The
accidental background was investigated by performing sets of 10^8 coincidence
analyses per each detector configuration on off-source data, obtained by
shifting the time series of each detector. The thresholds of the five searches
were tuned so as to control the overall false alarm rate to 1/century. When the
confidential time shifts was disclosed, no gravitational wave candidate was
found in the on-source data. As an additional output of this search, we make
available to other observatories the list of triple coincidence found below
search thresholds, corresponding to a false alarm rate of 1/month.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures Accepted for publication on Phys. Rev.
Results of the IGEC-2 search for gravitational wave bursts during 2005
The network of resonant bar detectors of gravitational waves resumed
coordinated observations within the International Gravitational Event
Collaboration (IGEC-2). Four detectors are taking part in this collaboration:
ALLEGRO, AURIGA, EXPLORER and NAUTILUS. We present here the results of the
search for gravitational wave bursts over 6 months during 2005, when IGEC-2 was
the only gravitational wave observatory in operation. The network data analysis
implemented is based on a time coincidence search among AURIGA, EXPLORER and
NAUTILUS, keeping the data from ALLEGRO for follow-up studies. With respect to
the previous IGEC 1997-2000 observations, the amplitude sensitivity of the
detectors to bursts improved by a factor about 3 and the sensitivity bandwidths
are wider, so that the data analysis was tuned considering a larger class of
detectable waveforms. Thanks to the higher duty cycles of the single detectors,
we decided to focus the analysis on three-fold observation, so to ensure the
identification of any single candidate of gravitational waves (gw) with high
statistical confidence. The achieved false detection rate is as low as 1 per
century. No candidates were found.Comment: 10 pages, to be submitted to Phys. Rev.
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