1,513 research outputs found
Frequency domain interferometer simulation with higher-order spatial modes
FINESSE is a software simulation that allows to compute the optical
properties of laser interferometers as they are used by the interferometric
gravitational-wave detectors today. It provides a fast and versatile tool which
has proven to be very useful during the design and the commissioning of
gravitational-wave detectors. The basic algorithm of FINESSE numerically
computes the light amplitudes inside an interferometer using Hermite-Gauss
modes in the frequency domain. In addition, FINESSE provides a number of
commands to easily generate and plot the most common signals like, for example,
power enhancement, error or control signals, transfer functions and
shot-noise-limited sensitivities.
Among the various simulation tools available to the gravitational wave
community today, FINESSE is the most advanced general optical simulation that
uses the frequency domain. It has been designed to allow general analysis of
user defined optical setups while being easy to install and easy to use.Comment: Added an example for the application of the simulation during the
commisioning of the GEO 600 gravitational-wave detecto
Performance of a 1200m long suspended Fabry-Perot cavity
Using one arm of the Michelson interferometer and the power recycling mirror
of the interferometric gravitational wave detector GEO600, we created a
Fabry-Perot cavity with a length of 1200 m. The main purpose of this experiment
was to gather first experience with the main optics, its suspensions and the
corresponding control systems. The residual displacement of a main mirror is
about 150 nm rms. By stabilising the length of the 1200 m long cavity to the
pre-stabilised laser beam we achieved an error point frequency noise of 0.1
mHz/sqrt(Hz) at 100 Hz Fourier frequency. In addition we demonstrated the
reliable performance of all included subsystems by several 10-hour-periods of
continuous stable operation. Thus the full frequency stabilisation scheme for
GEO600 was successfully tested.Comment: Amaldi 4 (Perth 2001) conference proceedings, 10 pages, 8 figure
Demonstration of detuned dual recycling at the Garching 30m laser interferometer
Dual recycling is an advanced optical technique to enhance the
signal-to-noise ratio of laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors in
a limited bandwidth. To optimise the center of this band with respect to
Fourier frequencies of expected gravitational wave signals detuned dual
recycling has to be implemented. We demonstrated detuned dual recycling on a
fully suspended 30m prototype interferometer. A control scheme that allows to
tune the detector to different frequencies will be outlined. Good agreement
between the experimental results and numerical simulations has been achieved.Comment: 9 page
Generation of high-purity higher-order Laguerre-Gauss beams at high laser power
We have investigated the generation of highly pure higher-order
Laguerre-Gauss (LG) beams at high laser power of order 100W, the same regime
that will be used by 2nd generation gravitational wave interferometers such as
Advanced LIGO. We report on the generation of a helical type LG33 mode with a
purity of order 97% at a power of 83W, the highest power ever reported in
literature for a higher-order LG mode.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure
The upgrade of GEO600
The German / British gravitational wave detector GEO 600 is in the process of
being upgraded. The upgrading process of GEO 600, called GEO-HF, will
concentrate on the improvement of the sensitivity for high frequency signals
and the demonstration of advanced technologies. In the years 2009 to 2011 the
detector will undergo a series of upgrade steps, which are described in this
paper.Comment: 9 pages, Amaldi 8 conference contributio
Parametric instabilities in the LCGT arm cavity
We evaluated the parametric instabilities of LCGT (Japanese interferometric
gravitational wave detector project) arm cavity. The number of unstable modes
of LCGT is 10-times smaller than that of Advanced LIGO (U.S.A.). Since the
strength of the instabilities of LCGT depends on the mirror curvature more
weakly than that of Advanced LIGO, the requirement of the mirror curvature
accuracy is easier to be achieved. The difference in the parametric
instabilities between LCGT and Advanced LIGO is because of the thermal noise
reduction methods (LCGT, cooling sapphire mirrors; Advanced LIGO, fused silica
mirrors with larger laser beams), which are the main strategies of the
projects. Elastic Q reduction by the barrel surface (0.2 mm thickness
TaO) coating is effective to suppress instabilities in the LCGT arm
cavity. Therefore, the cryogenic interferometer is a smart solution for the
parametric instabilities in addition to thermal noise and thermal lensing.Comment: 6 pages,3 figures. Amaldi7 proceedings, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.
(accepted
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