Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Introduction To Ligo And An Experiment Regarding The Quality Factor Of Crystalline Silicon, Edward Taylor

Physics

Third generation LIGO detectors will be limited by thermal noise at a low frequency band where gravitational wave signals are expected to exist. A large contribution to thermal noise is caused by internal friction of the mirror and suspension elements. In order to meet the quantum mechanical sensitivity limits of the detector, it will be necessary to further push down the contribution of thermal noise. Future detectors will require new materials with extremely high mechanical quality. Silicon at cryogenic temperatures shows the promise to provide the required mechanical quality due to its vanishing expansion coefficient at 120 K. The fluctuation …