Low Noise Suspensions and Readout Systems for LIGO

California Institute Of Technology, Pasadena CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports the research program of Professor Vladimir Braginsky and his group at the Moscow State University (MSU) in Moscow, Russia. Braginsky and his group are members of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) and they propose to continue research on topics of great interest to the LIGO project to which the group has made outstanding contributions over the years. While most of the research will be carried out at MSU, Braginsky and his colleagues will be in frequent close contact with LIGO Laboratory and LSC members as the collaboration works to develop new tools and techniques that will be used in Advanced LIGO detectors. The MSU group will focus their research on topics including: i) To identify and measure the excess noise (noise of non-thermal origin) due to mirrors coating, electric charging of the mirrors, and interaction of mirrors and the surrounding structures; ii) To carry out in-depth searches for new unknown sources of noise of nonlinear origin (including thermal non-equilibrium noise sources), and searches for dynamic instabilities which might appear in the interferometers due to coupling of their high-Q mechanical and optical degrees of freedom caused by the high value of optical power circulating in the interferometer arms; iii) To continue theoretical and experimental investigations of novel optical topologies as well as new methods of quantum measurements for future LIGO interferometers that should operate at sensitivities below the Standard Quantum Limit. Progress in the supported research program will contribute to the success of Advanced LIGO in opening the new gravitational wave window on the universe. The members of the MSU group are committed to combining first-rate education with their research. The faculty members in the group will continue to incorporate LIGO concepts and research results into their technical lectures for students and for colleagues working in other fields of science; they will continue to involve undergraduate and graduate students in their theoretical and experimental research; and they will continue to give public lectures about LIGO and the LSC's research, including lectures aimed at high school students.