- Feb. 17, 2021, 4:00 pm US/Central
- Lee McCuller, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the LIGO Laboratory
- Chris Stoughton
- video
Fermilab employees and users can access the Zoom link below (Services login required):
https://fermipoint.fnal.gov/org/ood/LabLeadership/Shared%20Documents/Zoom%20link%20for%20colloquium.docx?d=wddecabdd5efe44ee91ba775647366a0a&csf=1&e=XzG3Ib When: Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Location: ZOOM ONLY
Please note: you will need the passcode to enter the zoom
Anyone else can obtain the Zoom link the day of the colloquium by emailing Barb Kronkow at kronkow@fnal.gov
Optical interferometers have begun a new era of astrophysics by measuring length to such precision that gravitational waves (GW) from distant collisions of black holes and neutron stars are now regularly observed. This past observing run, the global GW observatory network itself entered a new era, whereby every detector’s sensitivity is enhanced using quantum squeezed states of light. This talk examines the implementation of squeezing in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), detailing how measurement back action affects the 40kg mirrors of LIGO in the form of quantum radiation pressure noise and how squeezing allows us to reduce back action using quantum correlations between the light and mirrors. LIGO plans to yet improve on squeezing with future upgrades to not only improve squeezed state quality, but also to install a quantum filter cavity so both imprecision and back-action are reduced in LIGO at the same time.