Robust optical configurations for reducing the impact of spatial laser beam effects in gravitational wave detectors

Lead Research Organisation: University of Birmingham
Department Name: School of Physics and Astronomy

Abstract

Modelling and design of new interferometers for precision metrology with either passive or active suppression of the impact from spatial laser beam distortions, to support the design of new ground-based gravitational wave detectors such as the Einstein Telescope and LIGO upgrades'

Publications

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Studentship Projects

Project Reference Relationship Related To Start End Student Name
ST/R504622/1 01/10/2017 30/09/2021
1960462 Studentship ST/R504622/1 01/10/2017 31/03/2021 Samuel Rowlinson
 
Title Finesse 3 
Description Finesse is a fast and easy to use Python-based interferometer simulation program. It uses frequency-domain optical modelling to build accurate quasi-static simulations of arbitrary interferometer configurations. For convenience, a number of standard analyses can be performed automatically by the program, namely computing modulation-demodulation error signals, transfer functions, quantum-noise-limited sensitivities, and beam shapes. The optical system can be modelled using the plane-wave approximation or Hermite-Gauss modes, allowing the computation of optical systems like telescopes or the effects of mode matching and mirror angular positions. 
Type Of Technology Software 
Year Produced 2020 
Open Source License? Yes  
Impact Finesse has been widely used across the gravitational wave detector instrumentation community for modelling, e.g., transfer functions and error signals, in current and proposed gravitational wave detectors. The new version of Finesse that this record refers to will enable more flexible usage of the software with powerful extensions for controlling virtual interferometer configurations and modelling opto-mechanical systems. 
URL https://finesse.readthedocs.io/en/latest/