Development of High Power Continuous Wave Lasers, Components, and Optical Contamination Diagnostics for Future Ground-based Gravitational Wave Detectors

为未来地基引力波探测器开发高功率连续波激光器、组件和光学污染诊断

• 批准号: 1101587
• 负责人: David Tanner
• 金额: $ 8.5万
• 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: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-08-01 至 2012-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1101587&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Development; Power; Continuous; Wave; Lasers

This research award will enable the continuation of investigations important to the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (Advanced LIGO). First, the quality of the mirror surfaces is crucial to the performance of Advanced LIGO. A method is under development to monitor mirror surface contaminants during the operation of Advanced LIGO using a nonlinear optical technique known as surface second harmonic generation (SSHG). Theoretical investigation of SSHG generation from multi-layer dielectric coatings and experimental investigation of SSHG, specifically investigations of controlled contamination on superpolished mirrors used in Advanced LIGO, will be conducted. Second, optical isolation of high power laser beams is important for Advanced LIGO, and this research addresses issues with the development of optical (Faraday) isolators capable of handling higher laser powers. Activities to be undertaken are characterization of thermal depolarization, isolation ratio, and thermal lensing for a large aperture Faraday isolator design and testing of Advanced LIGO Faraday isolators in vacuum.

Advanced LIGO will open a new astronomical window --- the ability to probe some of the most cataclysmic events in universe through the emission of gravitational waves, a mechanism proposed by Albert Einstein almost 100 years ago, but yet to be directly observed. These investigations will both aid in the operation of Advanced LIGO over long time scales and potentially improve its performance once it is in operation. They will also impact many applications which use high power lasers. Finally, this research will also foster international collaborations.

该研究奖将使对先进激光干涉仪引力波天文台（先进 LIGO）重要的研究得以继续进行。首先，镜面的质量对于高级 LIGO 的性能至关重要。正在开发一种方法，使用称为表面二次谐波发生 (SSHG) 的非线性光学技术来监测高级 LIGO 运行期间镜面污染物。将进行多层介电涂层产生 SSHG 的理论研究和 SSHG 的实验研究，特别是高级 LIGO 中使用的超抛光镜的受控污染研究。其次，高功率激光束的光学隔离对于高级 LIGO 非常重要，这项研究解决了开发能够处理更高激光功率的光学（法拉第）隔离器的问题。即将开展的活动包括大孔径法拉第隔离器设计的热去极化、隔离比和热透镜效应的表征以及高级 LIGO 法拉第隔离器在真空中的测试。

Advanced LIGO 将打开一个新的天文窗口 - ——通过引力波的发射来探测宇宙中一些最具灾难性的事件的能力，这是阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦在近 100 年前提出的机制之前，但尚未被直接观察到。这些研究将有助于高级 LIGO 的长期运行，并可能在运行后提高其性能。它们还将影响许多使用高功率激光器的应用。最后，这项研究还将促进国际合作。