Design and construction of an optical test bed for LISA imaging systems and tilt-to-length coupling

Chwalla, M. et al. (2016) Design and construction of an optical test bed for LISA imaging systems and tilt-to-length coupling. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 33(24), 245015. (doi: 10.1088/0264-9381/33/24/245015)

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Abstract

The laser interferometer space antenna (LISA) is a future space-based interferometric gravitational-wave detector consisting of three spacecraft in a triangular configuration. The interferometric measurements of path length changes between satellites will be performed on optical benches in the satellites. Angular misalignments of the interfering beams couple into the length measurement and represent a significant noise source. Imaging systems will be used to reduce this tilt-to-length coupling. We designed and constructed an optical test bed to experimentally investigate tilt-to-length coupling. It consists of two separate structures, a minimal optical bench and a telescope simulator. The minimal optical bench comprises the science interferometer where the local laser is interfered with light from a remote spacecraft. In our experiment, a simulated version of this received beam is generated on the telescope simulator. The telescope simulator provides a tilting beam, a reference interferometer and an additional static beam as a phase reference. The tilting beam can either be a flat-top beam or a Gaussian beam. We avoid tilt-to-length coupling in the reference interferometer by using a small photo diode placed at an image of the beam rotation point. We show that the test bed is operational with an initial measurement of tilt-to-length coupling without imaging systems. Furthermore, we show the design of two different imaging systems whose performance will be investigated in future experiments.

Item Type:Articles
Keywords:Gravitational waves, LISA.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Perreur-Lloyd, Mr Michael and Fitzsimons, Dr Ewan and Killow, Dr Christian and Ward, Professor Henry and Robertson, Dr David
Authors: Chwalla, M., Danzmann, K., Fernández Barranco, G., Fitzsimons, E., Gerberding, O., Heinzel, G., Killow, C.J., Lieser, M., Perreur-Lloyd, M., Robertson, D.I., Schuster, S., Schwarze, T.S., Tröbs, M., Ward, H., and Zwetz, M.
Subjects:Q Science > QC Physics
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
Research Centre:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Gravitational Research
Research Group:Institute for Gravitational Research
Journal Name:Classical and Quantum Gravity
Publisher:Institute of Physics
ISSN:0264-9381
ISSN (Online):1361-6382
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd
First Published:First published in Classical and Quantum Gravity 33(24): 245015
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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