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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 37: Precision Measurements and Metrology II
Q 37.3: Vortrag
Mittwoch, 13. März 2019, 14:30–14:45, S SR 111 Maschb.
Silicon-based mirror coatings for gravitational-wave detection — •Jessica Steinlechner1,2, Lukas Terkowski1, Iain Martin2, Felix Pein1, Simon Tait2, Jim Hough2, Sheila Rowan2, and Roman Schnabel1 — 1Institut für Laserphysik und Zentrum für Optische Quantentechnologien, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany — 2Institute for Gravitational Research, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow G128QQ, UK
Gravitational waves are ripples in space caused by massive, accelerated objects such as merging black holes. They were predicted by Einstein more than 100 years ago and first measured in 2015. When reaching their design sensitivity, current gravitational-wave detectors - as well as all planned, future detectors - will be limited by thermal noise from the highly-reflective mirror coatings. To detect more, weaker gravitational waves from a wider range of astrophysical sources, it is necessary to develop new coating materials. Besides low thermal noise, there are also strong requirements on the optical absorption and optical scattering of the coatings, which have to be available in large sizes. Due to low thermal noise, amorphous silicon seems to be a promising solution for a coating material. However, the optical absorption of commercially available amorphous silicon is currently far higher than the requirement. In this talk we will present our work on silicon-based mirror coatings in order to make future gravitational-wave detectors more sensitive.