Robert C. Taber

Resonant-Mass Detectors of Gravitational Radiation

A network of second-generation low-temperature gravitational radiation detectors is nearing completion. These detectors, sensitive to mechanical strains of order 10-18, are possible because of a variety of technical innovations hat have been made in cryogenics, low-noise superconducting instrumentation, and vibration isolation techniques. Another five orders of magnitude improvement in energy sensitivity of resonant-mass detectors is possible before the linear amplifier quantum limit is encountered.

Sensitivity analysis of a resonant mass gravitational wave antenna with resonant transducer

It has become standard practice to apply optimum linear filter theory to the analysis of gravitational radiation detection systems. In this paper, we present an analysis of the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of a two‐mode resonant detector consisting of a resonant antenna coupled to a resonant transducer. We also present a comparison of the results of this analysis to the performance fo the Stanford 4800‐kg cryogenic gravity wave detector. The analysis given includes all Gaussian noise sources present in the system. These include mechanical and electrical dissipation noise sources as well as amplifier voltage and current noise. The procedure is partly numerical, but it is extremely efficient and allows optimization over a range of design parameters, rather than the case‐by‐case results provided by the usual modelling techniques.

How to make high critical current joints in Ni–Ti wire

Methods are presented for making high critical joints in various thicknesses of niobium–titanium superconducting wire.

Status of the Stanford gravitational wave experiment

Abstract The low temperature gravitational radiation antenna under development at Stanford has now been operating for about 1 year. During this time the system has been completely evaluated and 1250 hours has been spent taking data. The antenna noise temperature has been measured at 10 mK and the sensitivity in 10−1 GPU.