A network of laser interferometer gravitational waves detectors spread across the globe is currently running and steadily improving. After complex data analysis from the output signal of the present detectors, astrophysical results begin to emerge with upper limits on gravitational wave sources. So far, however no direct detection has been announced. To increase the sensitivity of current detectors, a second generation of interferometers is planned which will make gravitational wave astronomy a reality within one decade. The advanced generation of interferometers will represent a substantial upgrade from current detectors. Especially, very high optical power will circulate in the arm cavities in order to reduce by one order of magnitude the shot noise limited sensitivity in high frequency. However, the theoretical shot noise limit will only be achieved after implementation of complex thermal lensing compensation schemes. Thermal lensing is direct consequence of the residual optical absorption inside the substrate and coating of the test masses and could have tragic consequences for the functionality of the interferometer. The Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA) in collaboration with LIGO will run a series of high optical power tests to understand the characteristics and effects of thermal lensing. During these tests, techniques to compensate thermal lensing will be experimented. This thesis mainly focused on the first high optical power test in Gingin, Australia. The first test will consist of a Fabry Perot cavity with the sapphire substrate of the input mirror inside the cavity. Due to the high optical circulating power a strong convergent thermal lens will appear in the input mirror substrate. Because of the presence of the thermal lens inside the cavity, the size of the cavity waist will be reduced and the cavity circulating power will decrease. Simulations using higher order mode expansion and FFT propagation code were completed to estimate ways to compensate strong thermal lensing for the Gingin first test. The term `strong thermal lensing? is used because the thermal lens focal length is comparable to the design focal length of the optical components. The expected performance of a fused silica compensation plate is presented and advantages and limits of this method are discussed. Experimental results on small scale actuators which can potentially compensate thermal lensing are detailed. The knowledge gained from these experiments was valuable to design the real scale compensation plate which was used in the first Gingin test. This test was carried at the end of 2005. The thermal lens due to 1 kW of optical power circulating in the sapphire substrate was successfully compensated using a fused silica plate. Yet, thermal lensing compensation may only be required for room temperature advanced interferometer. Indeed, we showed that cooling the interferometer mirror to cryogenic temperature can eliminate the thermal lensing problem and also substantially decrease the mirror thermal noise.

Ground-based gravitational wave detectors are evolving at a rapid pace. In the five minutes that followed the first direct detection of gravitational waves, the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo experiments have been subject to substantial upgrades, increasing their sensitivities by many times and allowing them to detect dozens of other gravitational wave signals. Third-generation ground-based interferometers (Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer) and spaaace-based detectors (such as LISA) are being researched and planned to enter into function in the second half of the next decade. If successful, these experiments will allow the detection of thousands of signals coming from an ever-increasing range of cosmological sources. In the meantime, second-generation interferometers are approaching the conclusion of ambitious upgrades started with the end of the third observing run “O3” in march 2020. The work of this thesis revolves around the planning and the commissioning of the “Advanced Virgo plus” upgrade project, which aims to increase the detector’s sensitivity by a factor of two, allowing a ten times higher detection rate than the previous configuration. In particular, the main topic is the update of the interferometer longitudinal sensing and control scheme required by the upgrade in the detector’s optical configuration. The design and simulation of the new control scheme catried out in constant collaboration with the “Interferometer Sensing and Control” team, started minutes before the actual implementation of the upgrades. Following that, I participated in the full-time commissioning of the upgraded configuration, which started in January 2021 and is currently ongoing. We will first explain the new interferometer configuration, then go into the details of the lock-acquisition procedure, presenting the results of the related simulation studies and the commissioning. A particular focus will also be given to the simulations of the interferometer’s state at the end of the lock acquisition, called “steady-state”. In addition to the study and implementation of the current lock-acquisition procedure, the thesis will present simulation activities to study an alternative lock-acquisition technique that has not yet been implemented.

A existência de ondas gravitacionais foi confirmada indiretamente pela observação astronômica de pulsares binários. Detectores de ondas gravitacionais tem sido desenvolvidos desde o trabalho pioneiro de Weber nos anos 60. Esforços estão sendo realizados no sentido de aumentar a sensibilidade dos detectores e realizar uma detecção direta, que ainda não foi confirmada. O Grupo GRAVITON está aperfeiçoando e melhorando a sensibilidade de um detector de ondas gravitacionais que se encontra no Laboratório de Estado Sólido e Baixas Temperaturas do Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo (LESBT/IFUSP), na cidade de São Paulo com apoio da FAPESP (processo 2006/56041-3). Esse detector, denominado MARIO SCHENBERG, é composto por uma massa ressonante esférica de CuAl(6%) com 65 cm de diâmetro, com aproximadamente 1150 kg, que deverá atingir a sensibilidade h ~ 10-22 em uma banda passante de 50 Hz, em torno de 3200 Hz, quando estiver operando a temperaturas da ordem de 0,05 K. Atualmente o detector já tem toda a sua infraestrutura criogênica montada e testada para resfriamentos a 4 K e toda a suspensão da esfera bem como todo o sistema de filtragem mecânica construídos e montados. Já foram realizadas as primeiras corridas comissionadas em 2006, 2007 e 2008, quando foram realizados vários diagnósticos sobre o sistema e desde então vem sendo desenvolvidos os transdutores para colocar o detector novamente em operação com melhor sensibilidade. Paralelamente, foram realizadas melhorias no próprio detector em razão dos diagnósticos realizados. O trabalho aqui apresentado está associado ao projeto acima. O autor desenvolveu atividades associadas à construção e desenvolvimentos do detector, que podem ser divididas em três partes principais: na parte mecânica, foi desenvolvido, instalado e testado um novo sistema de isolamento vibracional da suspensão da esfera; na parte criogênica foram feitas novas conexões térmicas, cálculos de gastos de hélio líquido e feitos desenvolvimentos para o funcionamento do refrigerador por diluição; e na parte eletrônica foi feita a instalação da eletrônica responsável pela transdução do sinal, além do desenvolvimento de um novo par de antenas de microfita. / The existence of gravitational waves has been confirmed indirectly by astronomical observation of binary pulsars. Gravitational wave detectors have been developed since the pioneering work of Weber in the 60s. Efforts are being made to increase the sensitivity of the detectors and perform a direct detection, wich has not been confirmed yet. The GRAVITON Group is enhancing and improving the sensitivity of a gravitational wave detector which is at the Laboratório de Estado Sólido e Baixas Temperaturas of the Instituto de Física of the Universidade de São Paulo (LESBT / IFUSP), in São Paulo city and is supported by FAPESP (processo 2006/56041-3). This detector, called MARIO SCHENBERG, consists of a spherical resonant mass of CuAl (6%) with 65 cm in diameter, and approximately 1150 kg, which should reach the sensitivity of h ~ 10-22 in a bandwidth of 50 Hz around 3200 Hz, when operating at temperatures of 0.05 K. Currently the detector already has all its infrastructure assembled and tested for cryogenic cooling down to 4 K and the whole suspension of the sphere as well as all mechanical isolation system constructed and assembled. Commissioning runs have already been done in 2006, 2007 and 2008, when several diagnoses on the system were performed and since then there have been many developments on the transducers to put back the detector into operation with improved sensitivity. At the same time, improvements have been made within the detector itself due to the diagnoses. The work presented here is associated with the above project. The author has developed activities and developments associated with the detector construction, which can be divided into three main parts: the mechanical part, in which a new system of vibration isolation was designed for the sphere suspension, installed and tested; the cryogenic part, in which new connections and thermal calculations of liquid helium boil-off rate were made as well as other developments for the operation of a dilution refrigerator; and the electronic part, in which the installation of the electronic signal responsable for the transduction was made, besides the development of a new pair of micro-strip antenna.

A existência de ondas gravitacionais foi confirmada indiretamente pela observação astronômica de pulsares binários. Detectores de ondas gravitacionais tem sido desenvolvidos desde o trabalho pioneiro de Weber nos anos 60. Esforços estão sendo realizados no sentido de aumentar a sensibilidade dos detectores e realizar uma detecção direta, que ainda não foi confirmada. O Grupo GRAVITON está aperfeiçoando e melhorando a sensibilidade de um detector de ondas gravitacionais que se encontra no Laboratório de Estado Sólido e Baixas Temperaturas do Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo (LESBT/IFUSP), na cidade de São Paulo com apoio da FAPESP (processo 2006/56041-3). Esse detector, denominado MARIO SCHENBERG, é composto por uma massa ressonante esférica de CuAl(6%) com 65 cm de diâmetro, com aproximadamente 1150 kg, que deverá atingir a sensibilidade h ~ 10-22 em uma banda passante de 50 Hz, em torno de 3200 Hz, quando estiver operando a temperaturas da ordem de 0,05 K. Atualmente o detector já tem toda a sua infraestrutura criogênica montada e testada para resfriamentos a 4 K e toda a suspensão da esfera bem como todo o sistema de filtragem mecânica construídos e montados. Já foram realizadas as primeiras corridas comissionadas em 2006, 2007 e 2008, quando foram realizados vários diagnósticos sobre o sistema e desde então vem sendo desenvolvidos os transdutores para colocar o detector novamente em operação com melhor sensibilidade. Paralelamente, foram realizadas melhorias no próprio detector em razão dos diagnósticos realizados. O trabalho aqui apresentado está associado ao projeto acima. O autor desenvolveu atividades associadas à construção e desenvolvimentos do detector, que podem ser divididas em três partes principais: na parte mecânica, foi desenvolvido, instalado e testado um novo sistema de isolamento vibracional da suspensão da esfera; na parte criogênica foram feitas novas conexões térmicas, cálculos de gastos de hélio líquido e feitos desenvolvimentos para o funcionamento do refrigerador por diluição; e na parte eletrônica foi feita a instalação da eletrônica responsável pela transdução do sinal, além do desenvolvimento de um novo par de antenas de microfita. / The existence of gravitational waves has been confirmed indirectly by astronomical observation of binary pulsars. Gravitational wave detectors have been developed since the pioneering work of Weber in the 60s. Efforts are being made to increase the sensitivity of the detectors and perform a direct detection, wich has not been confirmed yet. The GRAVITON Group is enhancing and improving the sensitivity of a gravitational wave detector which is at the Laboratório de Estado Sólido e Baixas Temperaturas of the Instituto de Física of the Universidade de São Paulo (LESBT / IFUSP), in São Paulo city and is supported by FAPESP (processo 2006/56041-3). This detector, called MARIO SCHENBERG, consists of a spherical resonant mass of CuAl (6%) with 65 cm in diameter, and approximately 1150 kg, which should reach the sensitivity of h ~ 10-22 in a bandwidth of 50 Hz around 3200 Hz, when operating at temperatures of 0.05 K. Currently the detector already has all its infrastructure assembled and tested for cryogenic cooling down to 4 K and the whole suspension of the sphere as well as all mechanical isolation system constructed and assembled. Commissioning runs have already been done in 2006, 2007 and 2008, when several diagnoses on the system were performed and since then there have been many developments on the transducers to put back the detector into operation with improved sensitivity. At the same time, improvements have been made within the detector itself due to the diagnoses. The work presented here is associated with the above project. The author has developed activities and developments associated with the detector construction, which can be divided into three main parts: the mechanical part, in which a new system of vibration isolation was designed for the sphere suspension, installed and tested; the cryogenic part, in which new connections and thermal calculations of liquid helium boil-off rate were made as well as other developments for the operation of a dilution refrigerator; and the electronic part, in which the installation of the electronic signal responsable for the transduction was made, besides the development of a new pair of micro-strip antenna.

Ce mémoire présente les efforts effectués pour réduire l'angle de perte de couches de pentoxyde de tantale amorphes telles qu'utilisées pour les miroirs de LIGO. Afin d'améliorer le niveau de relaxation des couches, celles-ci ont été déposées par pulvérisation cathodique magnétron à des températures allant de 50 °C à 480 °C, elles ont subi un recuit thermique rapide, elles ont été implantées par des ions d'oxygène, elles ont été déposées par pulvérisation cathodique magnétron en appliquant une tension de polarisation sur le substrat lors du dépôt allant de 0 V à -450 V et elles ont été déposées par pulvérisation cathodique magnétron pulsée à haute puissance dans le cadre de différentes expériences. L'angle de perte, l'épaisseur, la rugosité, l'indice de réfraction, la composition atomique, la contrainte, l'état de relaxation et le module de Young des couches ont par la suite été trouvés à l'aide de l'ellipsométrie spectralement résolue, la spectrométrie de rétrodiffusion de Rutherford, la détection des reculs élastiques, la spectroscopie Raman, la diffraction de rayons X et la nano-indentation. Il a été trouvé que la température de dépôt améliorait légèrement le degré de relaxation des couches jusqu'à 250 °C, mais qu'elle avait peu d'impact après recuit. Aussi, lors de dépôt à température de la pièce, une forte tension de polarisation réduit l'angle de perte, mais cet effet est encore une fois perdu suite au recuit. Les autres méthodes mentionnées ci-dessus n'ont pas influencé le degré de relaxation des couches selon l'angle de perte, la spectroscopie Raman et la diffraction de rayons X. Cette recherche a été réalisée avec le support financier du CRSNG et du FRQNT (numéro de dossier 206976). / This master's thesis presents the experiments made to reduce the loss angle of tantala coatings similar to those used in LIGO. To improve the relxation level of the coatings they were deposited by magnetron sputtering at temperatures varying from 50 °C to 480 °C. They were also subjected to rapid thermal annealing, and oxygen implantation. In another experiment, the coatings were deposited by magnetron sputtering with substrate biasing varying from 0 V to -450 V at room temperature and at 250 °C. Finally, the coatings of tantala were deposited by high power impulse magnetron sputtering. The loss angle, thickness, roughness, refractive index, atomic composition, stress, the relaxation state and Young's modulus of the coatings were characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry, Rutherford backscattering, elastic recoil detection, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and nanoindentation. It was found that the deposition temperature improved the loss angle until it reached 250 °C. However, annealing the coatings had a superior impact and the influence of the deposition temperature was not visible after annealing. When was applied a high bias to the susbtrate at room temperature, the obtained coating was slightly more relaxed than when a low bias was applied but this effect is, once again, insignificant after annealing. The other methods of deposition mentioned did not improve the loss angle or modify the relaxation state found by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction of the tantala coatings. This research was made with the financial support of the NSERC and of the FRQNT (file number 206976).