Developing low noise coatings for GW detectors, using next generation techniques such as ECR ion-beam deposition, and plasma-assisted deposition.

2015年9月14日，高级LIGO宣布首次直接探测到来自两个黑洞碰撞的引力波。这一宣布被许多人誉为“本世纪的科学突破”，开启了一种观察宇宙的全新方式。UWS是LIGO科学合作的正式成员，并在国际社会为未来探测器升级开发激光反射镜技术方面发挥关键作用。该项目由STFC(英国)在这一天体粒子研究领域内提供资金支持，因此将重点开发用于GW探测器的低噪声涂层，使用下一代技术，如ECR离子束沉积和等离子体辅助沉积。由镜面涂层中的机械耗散引起的热噪声有望对未来所有引力波探测器的灵敏度设置一个重要的限制。UWS最近展示了制造新型非晶硅薄膜的能力，这种薄膜表现出低水平的机械和光学损耗。该项目将重点开发使用这一新技术的多层HR涂层，如硅/二氧化硅和硅/氧化铝，并评估这些涂层用于升级到高级LIGO，以及未来的天文台，如爱因斯坦望远镜。还将考虑许多衍生应用，例如用于环境监测应用的超低光学损耗红外滤光片。

On 14th September 2015, Advanced LIGO announced the first direct detection of gravitational waves, from two black holes colliding. This announcement was heralded by many people as the "scientific breakthrough of the century", and opens up an entirely new way to observe the Universe. UWS is a full member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, and plays a key role within the international community in relation to developing laser mirror technology for future detector upgrades. This project is supported through the STFC (UK) funding within this area of astroparticle research, and will thus be focussed on developing low noise coatings for GW detectors, using next generation techniques such as ECR ion-beam deposition, and plasma-assisted deposition. Thermal noise arising from the mechanical dissipation in the mirror coatings is expected to set an important limit to the sensitivity of all future gravitational wave detectors. UWS has recently demonstrated the ability to fabricate novel amorphous silicon films that exhibit low levels of mechanical and optical losses. This project will focus on the development of multilayer HR coatings using this novel technology, such as silicon/silica and silicon/alumina, and evaluate these for use within upgrades to Advanced LIGO in addition to future observatories such as the Einstein Telescope. Numerous spin-out applications will also be considered, such as ultra-low optical loss infrared filters for environmental monitoring applications.