S Hild et al 2010 Class. Quantum Grav. 27 015003 doi:10.1088/0264-9381/27/1/015003
S Hild1, S Chelkowski2, A Freise2, J Franc3, N Morgado3, R Flaminio3 and R DeSalvo4
Show affiliationsAchieving the demanding sensitivity and bandwidth, envisaged for third-generation gravitational wave (GW) observatories, is extremely challenging with a single broadband interferometer. Very high optical powers (megawatts) are required to reduce the quantum noise contribution at high frequencies, while the interferometer mirrors have to be cooled to cryogenic temperatures in order to reduce thermal noise sources at low frequencies. To resolve this potential conflict of cryogenic test masses with high thermal load, we present a conceptual design for a 2-band xylophone configuration for a third-generation GW observatory, composed of a high-power, high-frequency interferometer and a cryogenic low-power, low-frequency instrument. Featuring inspiral ranges of 3200 Mpc and 38 000 Mpc for binary neutron stars and binary black holes coalesences, respectively, we find that the potential sensitivity of xylophone configurations can be significantly wider and better than what is possible in a single broadband interferometer.
04.80.Nn Gravitational wave detectors and experiments
07.20.Mc Cryogenics; refrigerators, low-temperature equipment
Issue 1 (7 January 2010)
Received 22 July 2009, in final form 23 October 2009
Published 15 December 2009
S Hild et al 2010 Class. Quantum Grav. 27 015003
Jiangang Du et al 2009 J. Micromech. Microeng. 19 075008
A C Levi et al 2009 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 21 225009
E Chung et al 2008 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 124 012018
Fereydoon Namavar et al 2007 Nanotechnology 18 415702
Chikashi Arita et al 2009 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 42 345002
Jaewon Park et al 2009 J. Micromech. Microeng. 19 065016
M G Levashova 2008 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 41 035701