SAMOP 2023 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 59: Poster IV

Q 59.30: Poster

Thursday, March 9, 2023, 16:30–19:00, Empore Lichthof

The Hannover Torsion Balance - a test platform for novel inertial sensing concepts — •Carolin Cordes, Christoph Gentemann, Gerald Bergmann, Moritz Mehmet, Gerhard Heinzel, and Karsten Danzmann — AEI Hannover

Gravity satellite missions require sensors that are sensitive to extremely small displacement changes of macroscopic test masses down to the millihertz regime. For the development of such novel sensors an environment is needed that resembles the conditions in space. Torsion pendulums can be used to simulate free-falling test masses in at least one degree of freedom in the lab on earth. For this reason, they are suitable testbeds for low frequency motion sensors. At the Albert Einstein Institute, we develop and construct such a test facility: the Hannover Torsion Balance, in which four dummy test masses are suspended as a torsion pendulum. A precise readout and control of the test mass motion is essential. To this end, an optical lever readout system and a capacitive readout and control system are implemented. A first interferometric readout will improve the test mass readout and control. To this aim, a Michelson interferometer will be added to the Torsion Balance. It will furthermore be an integral step towards testing novel optical satellite motion sensor readout techniques, such as Deep Frequency Modulation Interferometry. The poster will present the current status of the Torsion Balance and the latest results of the interferometric readout.