Daniel A. Shaddock

Quantum squeezed light in gravitational-wave detectors

The field of squeezed states for gravitational-wave (GW) detector enhancement is rapidly maturing. In this review paper, we provide an analysis of the field circa 2013. We begin by outlining the concept and description of quantum squeezed states. This is followed by an overview of how quantum squeezed states can improve GW detection, and the requirements on squeezed states to achieve such enhancement. Next, an overview of current technology for producing squeezed states, using atoms, optomechanical methods and nonlinear crystals, is provided. We finally highlight the milestone squeezing implementation experiments at the GEO600 and LIGO GW detectors.

Intersatellite laser ranging instrument for the GRACE follow-on mission

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) has demonstrated that low–low satellite-to-satellite tracking enables monitoring the time variations of the Earth’s gravity field on a global scale, in particular those caused by mass-transport within the hydrosphere. Due to the importance of long-term continued monitoring of the variations of the Earth’s gravitational field and the limited lifetime of GRACE, a follow-on mission is currently planned to be launched in 2017. In order to minimise risk and the time to launch, the follow-on mission will be basically a rebuild of GRACE with microwave ranging as the primary instrument for measuring changes of the intersatellite distance. Laser interferometry has been proposed as a method to achieve improved ranging precision for future GRACE-like missions and is therefore foreseen to be included as demonstrator experiment in the follow-on mission now under development. This paper presents the top-level architecture of an interferometric laser ranging system designed to demonstrate the technology which can also operate in parallel with the microwave ranging system of the GRACE follow-on mission.

Experimental Demonstration of a Squeezing-Enhanced Power-Recycled Michelson Interferometer for Gravitational Wave Detection

Interferometric gravitational wave detectors are expected to be limited by shot noise at some frequencies. We experimentally demonstrate that a power recycled Michelson with squeezed light injected into the dark port can overcome this limit. An improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio of 2.3 dB is measured and locked stably for long periods of time. The configuration, control, and signal readout of our experiment are compatible with current gravitational wave detector designs. We consider the application of our system to long baseline interferometer designs such as LIGO.

Frequency locking a laser to an optical cavity by use of spatial mode interference

We present a novel technique to frequency lock a laser to an optical cavity. This technique, tilt locking, utilizes a misalignment of the laser with respect to the cavity to produce a nonresonant spatial mode. By observing the interference between the carrier and the spatial mode one can obtain a quantum-noise-limited frequency discriminator. Tilt locking offers a number of potential benefits over existing locking schemes, including low cost, high sensitivity, and simple implementation.

Laser interferometry for the Big Bang Observer

The Big Bang Observer is a proposed space-based gravitational-wave detector intended as a follow on mission to the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). It is designed to detect the stochastic background of gravitational waves from the early universe. We discuss how the interferometry can be arranged between three spacecraft for this mission and what research and development on key technologies are necessary to realize this scheme.

Balanced homodyne detection of optical quantum states at audio-band frequencies and below

The advent of stable, highly squeezed states of light has generated great interest in the gravitational wave community as a means for improving the quantum-noise-limited performance of advanced interferometric detectors. To confidently measure these squeezed states, it is first necessary to measure the shot-noise across the frequency band of interest. Technical noise, such as non-stationary events, beam pointing, and parasitic interference, can corrupt shot-noise measurements at low Fourier frequencies, below tens of kilo-hertz. In this paper we present a qualitative investigation into all of the relevant noise sources and the methods by which they can be identified and mitigated in order to achieve quantum noise limited balanced homodyne detection. Using these techniques, flat shot-noise down to Fourier frequencies below 0.5 Hz is produced. This enables the direct observation of large magnitudes of squeezing across the entire audio-band, of particular interest for ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors. 11.6 dB of shot-noise suppression is directly observed, with more than 10 dB down to 10 Hz.

Overview of the LISA Phasemeter

The LISA phasemeter is required to measure the phase of an electrical signal with an error less than 3 μcycles/Hz over times scales from 1 to 1000 seconds. This phase sensitivity must be achieved in the presence of laser phase fluctuations 108 times larger than the target sensitivity. Other challenging aspects of the measurement are that the heterodyne frequency varies from 2 to 20 MHz and the signal contains multiple frequency tones that must be measured. The phasemeter architecture uses high‐speed analog to digital conversion followed by a digital phase locked loop. An overview of the phasemeter architecture is presented along with results for the breadboard LISA Phasemeter demonstrating that critical requirements are met.

Photodetector designs for low-noise, broadband, and high-power applications

We present design and performance details of three photodetector circuits that have been developed in the authors laboratory over the past eight years. These detectors have been optimized to meet the unique demands of experiments such as high power, high sensitivity interferometry, nonlinear optics, and laser noise measurements. The circuits are: a low-noise dc coupled (dc 20 MHz) general purpose detector, a low-noise broadband (15–1100 MHz) detector capable of detecting 10 mW of light, and a high-power large dynamic range detector (30 kHz–60 MHz) capable of detecting up to 100 mW of light. We present bandwidth dynamic range and noise performance details for all three designs. In addition, we present detailed circuit schematics along with design and construction guidelines to enable assembly and use of these designs.

Digitally enhanced heterodyne interferometry

Combining conventional interferometry with digital modulation allows interferometric signals to be isolated based on their delay. This isolation capability can be exploited in two ways. First, it can improve measurement sensitivity by reducing contamination by spurious interference. Second, it allows multiple optical components to be measured using a single metrology system. Digitally enhanced interferometry employs a pseudorandom noise (PRN) code phase modulated onto the light source. Individual reflections are isolated based on their respective delays by demodulation with the PRN code with a matching delay. The properties of the PRN code determine the degree of isolation while preserving the full interferometric sensitivity determined by the optical wavelength. Analysis and simulation indicate that errors caused by spurious interference can be reduced by a factor inversely proportional to the PRN code length.

High-resolution absolute frequency referenced fiber optic sensor for quasi-static strain sensing.

We present a quasi-static fiber optic strain sensing system capable of resolving signals below nanostrain from 20 mHz. A telecom-grade distributed feedback CW diode laser is locked to a fiber Fabry-Perot sensor, transferring the detected signals onto the laser. An H(13)C(14)N absorption line is then used as a frequency reference to extract accurate low-frequency strain signals from the locked system.