GW2 - GW Laser Interferometry in Europe |
Speaker_ |
Heptonstall, Alastair |
Talk _ |
Developments toward monolithic suspensions for advanced detectors |
Abstract _ |
The upgrade of a number of current first generation long baseline interferometric gravitational wave detectors is now scheduled to include installation of monolithic final stage pendulums to improve thermal noise performance. The GEO600 detector near Hannover is currently the only such detector to include a monolithic final stage and has shown it to be possible for this technology to be successfully implemented. Future upgrades however will require the current technology of pendulum construction to be pushed further to achieve higher tolerances and higher loads. This talk will cover a number of aspects of current research at the University of Glasgow into further development of fused silica technology, including production and testing of suspension elements and silicate bonding of optics. |