R. Kumar

Design and development of the advanced LIGO monolithic fused silica suspension

The detection of gravitational waves remains one of the most challenging prospects faced by experimental physicists. One of the most significant limits to the sensitivity of current, and future, long-baseline interferometric gravitational wave detectors is thermal displacement noise of the test masses and their suspensions. Suspension thermal noise will be an important noise source at operating frequencies between approximately 10 and 30 Hz, and it results from a combination of thermoelastic damping, surface loss and bulk loss associated with the suspension fibres, and weld loss from their attachment. Its effects can be reduced by minimizing thermoelastic loss and optimizing pendulum dilution factor via the appropriate choice of geometry of the suspension fibre and attachment geometry. This paper will discuss the design and fabrication of a prototype of the fused silica suspension stage for use in the advanced LIGO (aLIGO) detector network, analysing in detail the design of the fused silica attachment pieces (ears), together with the suspension assembly techniques. We also present a full thermal noise analysis of the prototype suspension, taking into account for the first time the precise shape of the actual fibres used, and weld loss. We shall demonstrate the suitability of this suspension for installation into aLIGO.

Update on quadruple suspension design for Advanced LIGO

We describe the design of the suspension systems for the major optics for Advanced LIGO, the upgrade to LIGO—the Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory. The design is based on that used in GEO600—the German/UK interferometric gravitational wave detector, with further development to meet the more stringent noise requirements for Advanced LIGO. The test mass suspensions consist of a four-stage or quadruple pendulum for enhanced seismic isolation. To minimize suspension thermal noise, the final stage consists of a silica mirror, 40 kg in mass, suspended from another silica mass by four silica fibres welded to silica ears attached to the sides of the masses using hydroxide-catalysis bonding. The design is chosen to achieve a displacement noise level for each of the seismic and thermal noise contributions of 10^(−19) m/√Hz at 10 Hz, for each test mass. We discuss features of the design which has been developed as a result of experience with prototypes and associated investigations.

Finite element modelling of the mechanical loss of silica suspension fibres for advanced gravitational wave detectors

Detection of gravitational waves remains one of the most challenging problems faced by experimental physicists. One of the most significant limits to the sensitivity of current, and future, long-baseline interferometric gravitational wave detectors is thermal displacement noise of the test masses and their suspensions. Detector suspension thermal noise will be an important noise source at operating frequencies between approximately 10 and 30 Hz, and results from a combination of thermoelastic damping, surface and bulk losses associated with the suspension fibres. However its effects can be reduced by minimizing the thermoelastic loss and optimization of pendulum dilution factor via appropriate choice of suspension fibre and attachment geometry. This paper will discuss finite element modelling and associated analysis of the loss in quasi-monolithic silica fibre suspensions for future advanced gravitational wave detectors.

Reducing the suspension thermal noise of advanced gravitational wave detectors

The international network of gravitational wave detectors is currently undergoing sensitivity upgrades (aLIGO, aVIRGO and GEO-HF) which will lead to the first detection and subsequent observation of a rich variety of astrophysical sources. To obtain a factor of 10 improvement in the strain sensitivity at low frequencies requires the use of ultralow mechanical loss materials and monolithic fused silica suspensions, optimized mirror coatings and the development of cutting edge techniques to super-polish and figure the interferometer optics. The possibility of applying incremental upgrades to the second generation detectors can be realized by making small but significant changes to the suspensions and/or optical mirror coatings. This includes the use of longer suspensions to increase the dissipation dilution, the development of techniques to reduce the surface loss in fused silica suspensions and methods to lower the mechanical loss from the metal springs used to support the test mass. Such upgrades can potentially improve the strain sensitivity by a factor of 2.5. Looking beyond 2015, the development of techniques to further improve the sensitivity by one order of magnitude are discussed. The third generation detectors will be located underground and will be operated at cryogenic temperatures. At low temperatures, silicon is a particularly promising candidate material as it displays good thermal conductivity, high tensile strength and zero thermal expansion coefficient at 120 K, 18 K and T ? 0 K.

Investigation of mechanical dissipation in CO2 laser-drawn fused silica fibres and welds

The planned upgrades to the LIGO gravitational wave detectors include monolithic mirror suspensions to reduce thermal noise. The mirrors will be suspended using CO2 laser-drawn fused silica fibres. We present here measurements of mechanical dissipation in synthetic fused silica fibres drawn using a CO2 laser. The level of dissipation in the surface layer is investigated and is found to be at a similar level to fibres produced using a gas flame. Also presented is a method for examining dissipation at welded interfaces, showing clear evidence of the existence of this loss mechanism which forms an additional component of the total detector thermal noise. Modelling of a typical detector suspension configuration shows that the thermal noise contribution from this loss source will be negligible.

Enhanced characteristics of fused silica fibers using laser polishing

The search for gravitational wave signals from astrophysical sources has led to the current work to upgrade the two largest of the long-baseline laser interferometers, the LIGO detectors. The first fused silica mirror suspensions for the Advanced LIGO gravitational wave detectors have been installed at the LIGO Hanford and Livingston sites. These quadruple pendulums use synthetic fused silica fibers produced using a CO2 laser pulling machine to reduce thermal noise in the final suspension stage. The suspension thermal noise in Advanced LIGO is predicted to be limited by internal damping in the surface layer of the fibers, damping in the weld regions, and the strength of the fibers. We present here a new method for increasing the fracture strength of fused silica fibers by laser polishing of the stock material from which they are produced. We also show measurements of mechanical loss in laser polished fibers, showing a reduction of 30% in internal damping in the surface layer.

Mirror actuation design for the interferometer control of the KAGRA gravitational wave telescope

KAGRA is a 3-km cryogenic interferometric gravitational wave telescope located at an underground site in Japan. In order to achieve its target sensitivity, the relative positions of the mirrors of the interferometer must be finely adjusted with attached actuators. We have developed a model to simulate the length control loops of the KAGRA interferometer with realistic suspension responses and various noises for mirror actuation. Using our model, we have designed the actuation parameters to have sufficient force range to acquire lock as well as to control all the length degrees of freedom without introducing excess noise.

Violin mode amplitude glitch monitor for the presence of excess noise on the monolithic silica suspensions of GEO 600

Non-Gaussian features of data from gravitational wave detectors are of interest as unpredictable glitches limit the sensitivity of searches for many kinds of signal. We consider events due to non-random excitations of the test masses and their suspension fibres. These events could, for example, be related to acoustic emissions in the fibres due to the presence and propagation of cracks or another type of structural perturbation, and they would generate excess noise above the Gaussian background, which matches the level expected due to thermal noise. We look for excess noise in the fundamental violin modes of the monolithic silica suspension fibres of GEO 600. We describe the algorithm used to monitor the violin mode amplitude for glitches, present our results and consider how these may be applied to advanced detectors. The conclusion of our analysis is that no excess noise above what was considered to be thermal noise was observed for several days of h(t) data analysed at the frequency of the selected violin modes.