This paper shows a novel method to precisely measure the laser power using an optomechanical system. By measuring a mirror displacement caused by the reflection of an amplitude modulated laser beam, the number of photons in the incident continuous-wave laser can be precisely measured. We have demonstrated this principle by means of a prototype experiment uses a suspended 25 mg mirror as an mechanical oscillator coupled with the radiation pressure and a Michelson interferometer as the displacement sensor. A measurement of the laser power with an uncertainty of less than one percent (1 sigma) is achievable.
A vibration isolation system called Type-Bp system used for power recycling mirrors has been developed for KAGRA, the interferometric gravitational-wave observatory in Japan. A suspension of the Type-Bp system passively isolates an optic from seismic vibration using three main pendulum stages equipped with two vertical vibration isolation systems. A compact reaction mass around each of the main stages allows for achieving sufficient damping performance with a simple feedback as well as vibration isolation ratio. Three Type-Bp systems were installed in KAGRA, and were proved to satisfy the requirements on the damping performance, and also on estimated residual displacement of the optics.
Future ground-based gravitational-wave detectors are slated to detect black hole and neutron star collisions from the entire stellar history of the universe. To achieve the designed detector sensitivities, frequency noise from the laser source must be reduced below the level achieved in current Advanced LIGO detectors. This paper reviews the laser frequency noise suppression scheme in Advanced LIGO, and quantifies the noise coupling to the gravitational-wave readout. The laser frequency noise incident on the current Advanced LIGO detectors is $8 times 10^{-5}~mathrm{Hz/sqrt{Hz}}$ at $1~mathrm{kHz}$. Future detectors will require even lower incident frequency noise levels to ensure this technical noise source does not limit sensitivity. The frequency noise requirement for a gravitational wave detector with arm lengths of $40~mathrm{km}$ is estimated to be $7 times 10^{-7}~mathrm{Hz/sqrt{Hz}}$. To reach this goal a new frequency noise suppression scheme is proposed, utilizing two input mode cleaner cavities, and the limits of this scheme are explored. Using this scheme the frequency noise requirement is met, even in pessimistic noise coupling scenarios.
The second order photon correlation g^(2)(tau) of a chaotic optical-feedback semiconductor laser is precisely measured using a Hanbury Brown-Twiss interferometer. The accurate g^(2)(tau) with non-zero delay time is obtained experimentally from the photon pair time interval distribution through a ninth-order self-convolution correction. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical analysis. The relative error of g^(2)(tau) is no more than 0.005 within 50 ns delay time. The bunching effect and coherence time of the chaotic laser are measured via the precise photon correlation technique. This technique provides a new tool to improve the accuracy of g^(2)(tau) measurement and boost applications of quantum statistics and correlation.
We have designed and tested an automated simple setup for quickly measuring the profile and spot size of a Gaussian laser beam using three cost-affordable light sensors. Two profiling techniques were implemented: imaging for the CMOS 2D array (webcam) and scanning knife-edge-like using a single photodiode and an LDR. The methods and sensors were compared to determine their accuracy using lasers of two different wavelengths and technologies. We verify that it is possible to use a low-cost webcam to determine the profile of a laser with 1% uncertainty on the beam waist, 1.5% error on the waistline position, and less than 3% error in determining the minimum spot radius. The photodiode measurement is the most stable since it is not affected by the change in laser intensity. In addition, we show that it is possible to use an inexpensive LDR sensor to estimate the laser spot size with an 11% error.
Silicon sensors with high time resolution can help particle identification in the International Linear Collider (ILC). We are studying Low Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs) as a high timing resolution sensor. As a step to develop LGADs, we are now focusing to characterize Avalanche Photo Diode (APD)s, because the APDs has the same multiplication structure as LGADs. We studied the characteristics of APDs with particles from radioisotopes.