Development of Resonant Bar Gravitational Wave Antennae

共振棒引力波探测器的灵敏度可能会再提高两个数量级。实现这一目标的关键一步是开发新型机电换能器。博科教授的研究将寻求完善一种参数换能器，通过调制超导射频桥电路中的电容，将杆状天线极小的机械振动转换为电信号。这种换能器设计将适用于其他小组，以扩大最先进的大型天线的范围。它还将允许开发具有有趣的灵敏度水平的小型接收器，用于搜索我们银河系中的引力波。

The sensitivity of resonant bar gravitational wave detectors can potentially be increased by another two orders of magnitude. A key step in achieving this goal is the development of novel electromechanical transducers. Professor Bocko's research will seek to perfect a parametric transducer which converts extremely small mechanical vibrations of the bar antenna to an electrical signal by modulation of a capacitance in a superconducting radio-frequency bridge circuit. This transducer design will be available to other groups to extend the range of the most advanced large antennas. It will also allow the development of small receivers with interesting sensitivity levels for searches for gravitational waves in our galaxy.