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The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry
Published on: August 12, 2013
Experimental demonstration of time-delay interferometry for the laser interferometer space antenna
Glenn de Vine1, Brent Ware, Kirk McKenzie
1Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA. glenn.devine@jpl.nasa.gov
Physical Review Letters
|September 28, 2010
Summary
Time-delay interferometry (TDI) was experimentally demonstrated for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). This technique successfully suppressed significant laser frequency and clock phase noise, validating the LISA measurement approach.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- Gravitational Wave Astronomy
- Optical Metrology
Background:
- The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission requires precise measurement of gravitational waves.
- Laser frequency noise and clock phase noise are critical challenges for LISA's sensitivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally demonstrate time-delay interferometry (TDI) for LISA.
- To validate the LISA measurement scheme by mitigating key noise sources in a laboratory setting.
Main Methods:
- Implemented time-delay interferometry (TDI) in a laboratory experiment.
- Mimicked the noise couplings expected in the LISA space mission.
- Applied postprocessing techniques to suppress noise.
Main Results:
- Achieved a suppression of laser frequency noise by approximately 10^9.
- Reduced clock phase noise by a factor of 6x10^4.
- Recovered the intrinsic displacement noise floor of the laboratory test bed.
Conclusions:
- The experimental validation of TDI marks a significant milestone for LISA.
- TDI effectively removes detrimental laser frequency and clock phase noise.
- This demonstrates the feasibility of the LISA measurement scheme.
