Mechanical loss in tantala/silica dielectric mirror coatings

Author

Steven D Penn 1,6, Peter H Sneddon 2, Helena Armandula 3, Joseph C Betzwieser 4, Gianpietro Cagnoli 2, Jordan Camp 3,7, D R M Crooks 2, Martin M Fejer 5, Andri M Gretarsson 1,8, Gregory M Harry 4, Jim Hough 2, Scott E Kittelberger 1, Michael J Mortonson 4, Roger Route 5, Sheila Rowan 5 and Christophoros C Vassiliou 4

Affiliations

1 Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244-1130, USA
2 Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
3 LIGO Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91025, USA
4 LIGO Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
5 Edward L Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4085, USA
6 Present address: Department of Physics, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, New York, 14456, USA.
7 Present address: Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, 20771, USA.
8 Present address: LIGO Livingston Observatory, Livingston, Louisiana, 70754, USA.

Journal

Classical and Quantum Gravity Create an alert RSS this journal

Issue

Volume 20, Number 13

Citation

S D Penn et al 2003 Class. Quantum Grav. 20 2917

doi: 10.1088/0264-9381/20/13/334


 
Tag this article Full text PDF (259 KB)
Abstract

Current interferometric gravitational wave detectors use test masses with mirror coatings formed from multiple layers of dielectric materials, most commonly alternating layers of SiO2 (silica) and Ta2O5 (tantala). However, mechanical loss in the Ta2O5/SiO2 coatings may limit the design sensitivity for advanced detectors. We have investigated sources of mechanical loss in the Ta2O5/SiO2 coatings, including loss associated with the coating–substrate interface, with the coating–layer interfaces and with the coating materials. Our results indicate that the loss is associated with the coating materials and that the loss of Ta2O5 is substantially larger than that of SiO2.

 
PACS

04.80.Nn Gravitational wave detectors and experiments

68.35.Gy Mechanical properties; surface strains

77.84.Dy Niobates, titanates, tantalates, PZT ceramics, etc.

MSC

83C35 Gravitational waves

Subjects

Condensed matter: electrical, magnetic and optical

Surfaces, interfaces and thin films

Gravitation and cosmology

Dates

Issue 13 (7 July 2003)

Received 24 February 2003

Published 12 June 2003



  1. Mechanical loss in tantala/silica dielectric mirror coatings

    S D Penn et al 2003 Class. Quantum Grav. 20 2917

  2. The cause of thunder

    P Graneau 1989 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 22 1083

  3. Optical measurements and the darkening effect of ZnS fluorescent materials

    J Weiszburg 1966 Br. J. Appl. Phys. 17 693

  4. Gauge transformation for dynamical systems of Ising spin glasses

    Y Ozeki 1995 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 28 3645

  5. Results of the Sixth International Comparison of Absolute Gravimeters, ICAG-2001

    L Vitushkin et al 2002 Metrologia 39 407

View by subject


Export