Related papers: The Advanced LIGO Input Optics
The sensitivity of next-generation gravitational-wave detectors such as Advanced LIGO and LCGT should be limited mostly by quantum noise with an expected technical progress to reduce seismic noise and thermal noise. Those detectors will…
The detection of gravitational waves from compact binary mergers by LIGO has opened the era of gravitational wave astronomy, revealing a previously hidden side of the cosmos. To maximize the reach of the existing LIGO observatory…
The LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) detectors have just completed their first science run, following many years of planning, research, and development. LIGO is a member of what will be a worldwide network of…
We report on the design and performance of small optic suspensions developed to suppress seismic motion of out-of-cavity optics in the Input Optics subsystem of the Advanced LIGO interferometric gravitational wave detector. These compact…
The first generation of ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors, LIGO, GEO and Virgo, have operated and taken data at their design sensitivities over the last few years. The data has been examined for the presence of…
We describe the angular sensing and control of the 4 km detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). The culmination of first generation LIGO detectors, Enhanced LIGO operated between 2009 and 2010 with about…
Optics is limited in the 'ray-approximation'-inclusion of wave properties result in additional phenomena and applications; interferometers and diffraction gratings are two manifestations of such non-geometric, physical optics. Incidentally,…
(abridged for arXiv) With the first direct detection of gravitational waves, the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) has initiated a new field of astronomy by providing an alternate means of sensing the…
Gravitational waves carry unique information about high-energy astrophysical events such as the inspiral and merger of neutron stars and black holes, core collapse in massive stars, and other sources. Large gravitational wave (GW) detectors…
A network of three or more gravitational wave detectors simultaneously taking data is required to generate a well-localized sky map for gravitational wave sources, such as GW170817. Local seismic disturbances often cause the LIGO and Virgo…
New generations of gravity wave detectors require unprecedented levels of vibration isolation. This paper presents the final design of the vibration isolation and positioning platform used in Advanced LIGO to support the interferometers…
The Advanced LIGO detectors are sophisticated opto-mechanical devices. At the core of their operation is feedback control. The Advanced LIGO project developed a custom digital control and data acquisition system to handle the unique needs…
Interferometric gravitational-wave detectors like LIGO need to be able to measure changes in their arm lengths of order $10^{-18}~$m or smaller. This requires very high laser power in order to raise the signal above shot noise. One…
We present the analysis of between 50 and 100 hrs of coincident interferometric strain data used to search for and establish an upper limit on a stochastic background of gravitational radiation. These data come from the first LIGO science…
Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo could observe the first lensed gravitational waves in the coming years, while the future Einstein Telescope could observe hundreds of lensed events. Ground-based gravitational-wave detectors can resolve…
The LIGO experiment aims to detect and study gravitational waves using ground based laser interferometry. A critical factor to the performance of the interferometers, and a major consideration in the design of possible future upgrades, is…
Accurate and reliable calibration of the Advanced LIGO detectors has enabled a plethora of gravitational-wave discoveries in the detectors' first decade of operation, starting with the ground-breaking discovery, GW150914. In the first…
The raw outputs of the detectors within the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory need to be calibrated in order to produce the estimate of the dimensionless strain used for astrophysical analyses. The two detectors…
The detection of gravitational waves has inaugurated the era of gravitational astronomy and opened new avenues for the multimessenger study of cosmic sources. Thanks to their sensitivity, the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo interferometers…
Quantum fluctuations in the phase and amplitude quadratures of light set limitations on the sensitivity of modern optical instruments. The sensitivity of the interferometric gravitational wave detectors, such as the Advanced Laser…