Research Towards Future Gravitational-Wave Observatories: Lasers, Optics, Materials, Devices, and Simulations

未来引力波天文台的研究：激光、光学、材料、设备和模拟

• 批准号: 2309242
• 负责人: David Tanner
• 金额: $ 90万
• 依托单位: University of Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-07-01 至 2026-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2309242&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Research; Towards; Future; Gravitational; Wave

This award supports research in relativity and relativistic astrophysics, and it addresses the priority areas of NSF's "Windows on the Universe" Big Idea. Beginning with the September 2015 discovery of gravitational waves from the inspiral of two black holes, NSF's Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), in conjunction with Virgo, have carried out observational campaigns for gravitational waves, with more than 90 mergers of compact objects (black holes and/or neutron stars) reported from three observing runs. A fourth observing run, with significant improvements in sensitivity and performance will begin in Spring 2023. This A+ upgrade of the detectors includes six low-loss Faraday isolators designed and manufactured at the University of Florida. Ongoing research aims at contributing to further improvements as well as to third-generation gravitational-wave detectors. This work will positively influence the national and international scientific infrastructure through the direct participation of the University of Florida LIGO group in research and operations at the LIGO Observatories. The research will go beyond gravitational-wave science. High-power optical isolators developed in this project have commercial applications to the laser and optics industries. A single-frequency 2.1 μm laser, tunable over GHz of frequency, can affect many areas of precision science. The Florida group also contributes service activities to the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaborations by serving on a variety of standing committees. The Florida group also gives students and postdoctoral scientists the opportunity to develop scientific skills from a diverse set of disciplines spanning lasers and optics, electronics and feedback control systems, vacuum and cryogenics, and large-scale detector commissioning and operation. In addition, the group places high value on the education of undergraduate students and each year has involved undergraduates in research.Advanced LIGO was designed for a tenfold sensitivity improvement and much better low-frequency response than initial LIGO. With the introduction of squeezing and the A+ upgrade, the sensitivity will be increased further. These gains require improved performance in all aspects of the detector, including the Input Optics, a responsibility of the Florida LIGO group for many years. Work will address high-power optical isolation, improved modulation of laser beams, and improved simulations of the suspensions used for in the input optics and in the core interferometer. It also addresses basic research needed for next generation detectors aimed at increased science reach. This longer-ranged research includes studies of modulators and isolators at longer wavelengths than the 1064 nm wavelength currently used, completion of analysis of impurities in silicon, a nearly ideal material for the test masses of cryogenic detectors, and the characterization of a single-frequency non-planar ring oscillator laser operating at 2.1 μm wavelength.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该奖项支持相对论和相对论天体物理学的研究，并介绍了NSF“宇宙上的Windows”的优先领域。 Beginning with the September 2015 discovery of gravitational waves from the inspiral of two black holes, NSF's Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), in conjunction with Virgo, have carried out observational campaigns for gravitational waves, with more than 90 mergers of compact objects (black holes and/or neutron stars) reported from three observation runs.第四次观察结果，灵敏度和性能的显着提高将在2023年春季开始。探测器的A+升级包括六个在佛罗里达大学设计和制造的低损坏法拉第隔离器。正在进行的研究旨在为进一步的改进以及第三代重力波检测器做出贡献。这项工作将通过佛罗里达大学Ligo集团直接参与Ligo观察者的研究和运营来积极影响国家和国际科学基础设施。这项研究将超越重力波科学。该项目开发的高功率光学隔离器在激光和光学行业中具有商业应用。单频2.1μm激光器，可在频率的GHz上进行调节，可能会影响精确科学的许多领域。佛罗里达集团还通过各种执行承诺，为Ligo-Virgo-Kagra合作提供服务活动。佛罗里达小组还为学生和博士后科学家提供了从涉及激光和光学，电子和反馈控制系统，真空和低温的一系列学科的科学技能的机会，以及大规模的探测器调试和操作。此外，该小组对本科生的教育具有很高的价值，并且每年都涉及研究本科。随着挤压和A+升级的引入，灵敏度将进一步提高。这些收益需要提高探测器的各个方面的性能，包括输入光学，这是佛罗里达州LIGO集团多年来的责任。工作将解决高功率光学隔离，改进激光束的调制以及改进对输入光学元件和核心干涉仪中用于的悬浮液的模拟。它还解决了旨在增加科学范围的下一代探测器所需的基础研究。这项较长的研究包括比当前使用的1064 nm波长的调节器和隔离器的研究，硅中杂质的分析完成，几乎是测试量的低温探测器测试材料，以及在2.1μmss的单次非平面环形振动器激光统计中的单次非平面环形振动器激光的表征。使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准通过评估来支持。