Amorphous dielectric optical coatings deposited by plasma ion-assisted electron beam evaporation for gravitational wave detectors

Garcia Nunez, C. et al. (2023) Amorphous dielectric optical coatings deposited by plasma ion-assisted electron beam evaporation for gravitational wave detectors. Applied Optics, 62(7), B209-B221. (doi: 10.1364/ao.477186) (PMID:37132933)

Abstract

Coating thermal noise (CTN) in amorphous coatings is a drawback hindering their application in precision experiments such as gravitational wave detectors (GWDs). Mirrors for GWDs are Bragg’s reflectors consisting of a bilayer-based stack of high- and low-refractive-index materials showing high reflectivity and low CTN. In this paper, we report the characterization of morphological, structural, optical, and mechanical properties of high-index materials such as scandium sesquioxide and hafnium dioxide and a low-index material such as magnesium fluoride deposited by plasma ion-assisted electron beam evaporation. We also evaluate their properties under different annealing treatments and discuss their potential for GWDs.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/V005626/1); Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland (RIG009277).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Garcia Nunez, Dr Carlos
• Authors: Garcia Nunez, C., Wallace, G., Fleming, L., Craig, K., Song, S., Ahmadzadeh, S., Clark, C., Tait, S., Martin, I., Reid, S., Rowan, S., and Gibson, D.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
• Journal Name: Applied Optics
• Publisher: Optica Publishing Group
• ISSN: 2155-3165
• ISSN (Online): 2155-3165
• Published Online: 23 February 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 Optica Publishing Group
• First Published: First published in Applied Optics 62(7):B209-B221
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy