Searching for a Stochastic Background, aLIGO Transient Monitoring and Optical Mirror Trapping

该奖项支持(i)利用激光干涉仪引力波天文台（LIGO）及其国际合作者的最新数据，寻找原始和天体物理起源的引力波的随机背景。这项研究没有考虑整个天空，而是考虑了单个天空区域，预计将产生世界上最好的随机引力辐射限制。此外，该奖项还支持（ii）用于小镜子的全光阱的开发，这一步骤可能会提高下一代引力波探测器的灵敏度。在不需要主动反馈的情况下，辐射压力与光学腔动力学将提供捕获力。LIGO观测波段的原始引力波产生于早期宇宙，其能量密度超出了粒子物理学标准模型的实验测试范围，具有揭示新物理学的潜力。观测这些引力波可能是引力波天文学所能提供的最大奖励。除了现有的引力波探测器之外，利用辐射压力对测试镜进行光学捕获将允许在量子水平上操纵宏观物体，并可以为下一代引力波干涉仪改进角度控制系统。该项目还将为本科生提供实际LIGO干涉仪硬件的实践经验，并为研究生提供培训。

The award supports (i) the search for a stochastic background of gravitational-waves of both primordial and astrophysical origin using the latest data from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) and its international collaborators. Rather than considering the entire sky at once, the search considers individual sky regions and is expected to produce the world's best limits on stochastic gravitational radiation. Additionally the award supports (ii) the development of an all-optical trap for a small mirror, a step that could lead to improved sensitivity in next generation gravitational wave detectors. Radiation pressure, together with the optical cavity dynamics, will provide the trapping force without the need for active feed-back. Primordial gravitational waves in the LIGO observation band were generated in the early universe at energy densities beyond the experimentally-tested regime of the Standard Model of particle physics and have the potential to reveal new physics. Observing these waves may be the biggest prize gravitational-wave astronomy has to offer. Looking beyond existing gravitational-wave detectors, optical trapping of a test mirror using radiation pressure will allow the manipulation of macroscopic objects at the quantum level, and can lead to an improved angular control system for the next-generation gravitational-wave interferometers. The project will also provide hands-on experience for undergraduate students and training for graduate students on actual LIGO interferometer hardware.