Jena 2013 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help

GR: Fachverband Gravitation und Relativitätstheorie

GR 2: Gravitationswellen I

GR 2.9: Talk

Monday, February 25, 2013, 18:30–18:45, HS 6

Squeezed light for gravitational wave astronomy — •Alexander Khalaidovski, Henning Vahlbruch, Moritz Mehmet, Karsten Danzmann, Hartmut Grote, and Roman Schnabel — Institut für Gravitationsphysik, Leibniz Universität Hannover and Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut), Callinstr. 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany

The measurement sensitivity of the first generation of interferometric gravitational wave (GW) detectors is limited by quantum shot noise at Fourier frequencies above a few hundred Hertz. Future generations of GW observatories will even be limited by quantum noise almost over their entire detection band. A non-classical approach to further improve the signal-to-quantum-noise ratio is based on the injection of squeezed states of light. Such a light field has a characteristic non-classical noise distribution in the field quadratures. Injected from the signal port, the squeezed states replace the vacuum states, thereby reducing the interferometer's quantum noise.

This contribution presents an overview over the field of squeezed-light generation for GW astronomy. The squeezed-light laser that is now operated in GEO 600 is discussed in detail. Prospects for the use of squeezed light in the 2nd and 3rd observatory generations are presented.