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Updated: Jul 20, 2026

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry
Published on: August 12, 2013
Cavity with a deformable mirror for tailoring the shape of the eigenmode
Peter T Beyersdorf1, Stephan Zappe, M M Fejer
1Department of Physics, San José State University, California 95192-0106, USA. pbeyersdorf@science.sjsu.edu
We developed a novel optical cavity with a flattop beam profile for gravitational wave observatories. This design enhances mirror noise averaging and improves sensitivity compared to traditional Gaussian beams.
Area of Science:
- Optics
- Gravitational Wave Detection
- Laser Interferometry
Background:
- Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (Advanced LIGO) requires improved optical cavities.
- Spatially dependent mirror displacement noise affects gravitational wave detection sensitivity.
- Gaussian beam profiles in cavities may not optimally average mirror surface noise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate an optical cavity supporting a flattop spatial profile eigenmode.
- To investigate the use of a deformable mirror for tailoring cavity eigenmodes.
- To compare the sensitivity of a flattop cavity to a Gaussian cavity.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a deformable mirror to control cavity eigenmode shape.
- Experimental setup to generate and analyze optical cavity eigenmodes.
- Sensitivity measurements comparing flattop and Gaussian profile cavities.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated an optical cavity with a flattop spatial profile.
- The deformable mirror effectively tailored the cavity eigenmode shape.
- The flattop cavity exhibited a factor of 2 higher sensitivity to misalignments than a Gaussian cavity.
Conclusions:
- Flattop beam profiles are advantageous for reducing spatially dependent noise in gravitational wave observatories.
- Deformable mirrors offer a viable method for achieving desired optical cavity eigenmode profiles.
- The demonstrated flattop cavity design shows potential for enhancing gravitational wave detection.
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