The two interferometers of the Laser Interferometry Gravitaional-wave Observatory (LIGO) recently detected gravitational waves from the mergers of binary black hole systems. Accurate calibration of ...the output of these detectors was crucial for the observation of these events, and the extraction of parameters of the sources. The principal tools used to calibrate the responses of the second-generation (Advanced) LIGO detectors to gravitational waves are systems based on radiation pressure and referred to as Photon Calibrators. These systems, which were completely redesigned for Advanced LIGO, include several significant upgrades that enable them to meet the calibration requirements of second-generation gravitational wave detectors in the new era of gravitational-wave astronomy. We report on the design, implementation, and operation of these Advanced LIGO Photon Calibrators that are currently providing fiducial displacements on the order of \(10^{-18}\) m/\(\sqrt{\textrm{Hz}}\) with accuracy and precision of better than 1 %.
We present the design and performance of the LIGO Input Optics subsystem as implemented for the sixth science run of the LIGO interferometers. The Initial LIGO Input Optics experienced thermal side ...effects when operating with 7 W input power. We designed, built, and implemented improved versions of the Input Optics for Enhanced LIGO, an incremental upgrade to the Initial LIGO interferometers, designed to run with 30 W input power. At four times the power of Initial LIGO, the Enhanced LIGO Input Optics demonstrated improved performance including better optical isolation, less thermal drift, minimal thermal lensing and higher optical efficiency. The success of the Input Optics design fosters confidence for its ability to perform well in Advanced LIGO.
Summary form only given. Diode-pumped monolithic solid-state Nd:YAG ring lasers have become increasingly important in various fields of science and research. Due to their superb intrinsic frequency ...and amplitude stability they are destined for implementation in high precision experiments.
Opt. Lett. 25, p. 1019-1021 (2000) The frequency of a 700mW monolithic non-planar Nd:YAG ring laser (NPRO)
depends with a large coupling coefficient (some MHz/mW) on the power of its
laser-diode pump ...source. Using this effect we demonstrate the frequency
stabilization of an NPRO to a frequency reference by feeding back to the
current of its pump diodes. We achieved an error point frequency noise smaller
than 1mHz/sqrt(Hz), and simultaneously a reduction of the power noise of the
NPRO by 10dB without an additional power stabilization feed-back system.
The frequency of a 700mW monolithic non-planar Nd:YAG ring laser (NPRO) depends with a large coupling coefficient (some MHz/mW) on the power of its laser-diode pump source. Using this effect we ...demonstrate the frequency stabilization of an NPRO to a frequency reference by feeding back to the current of its pump diodes. We achieved an error point frequency noise smaller than 1mHz/sqrt(Hz), and simultaneously a reduction of the power noise of the NPRO by 10dB without an additional power stabilization feed-back system.
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