Precision Interferometry in a New Shape: Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Modes for Gravitational Wave Detection

by Paul Fulda

Overview

With his Ph.D. thesis, presented here in the format of a "Springer Theses", Paul Fulda won the 2012 GWIC thesis prize awarded by the Gravitational Wave International Committee. The impact of thermal noise on future gravitational wave detectors depends on the size and shape of the interrogating laser beam. It had been known since 2006 that, in theory, higher-order Laguerre-Gauss modes could reduce thermal noise. Paul Fulda’s research brings Laguerre-Gauss modes an enormous step forward. His work includes analytical, numerical and experimental work on table-top setups as well as experiments at the Glasgow 10m prototype interferometer. Using numerical simulations the LG33 mode was selected as the optical mode to be tested. Further research by Paul and his colleagues since then concentrated on this mode. Paul has developed and demonstrated simple and effective methods to create this mode with diffractive optics and successfully demonstrated its compatibility with the essential building blocks of gravitational wave detectors, namely, optical cavities, Michelson interferometers and opto-electronic sensing and control systems. Through this work, Laguerre-Gauss modes for interferometers have been transformed from an essentially unknown entity to a well understood option with an experimental basis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783319347561
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	08/23/2016
Series:	Springer Theses
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2014
Pages:	154
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.01(d)

About the Author

Dr. Paul Fulda received his PhD in 2012 at the University of Birmingham. He is the winner of the 2012 GWIC Thesis Prize awarded by the Gravitational Wave International Committee.

Table of Contents

Introduction.- Laguerre-Gauss beams for test mass thermal noise reduction.- Simulation study into LG33 mode interferometry and production.- Tabletop demonstrations of LG mode production and cleaning.- Prototype experiments with the LG33 mode.- Summary and conclusions.- Bibliography.- Acknowledgments.