An adaptation of an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) strain sensor is described, which permits the state of cure of an epoxy matrix to be monitored, when the sensor is embedded in a polymeric matrix composite. By using a glass rod with a retroreflecting end for the target fiber in the EFPI sensor, the intensity of the light reflected depends on the refractive index of the host matrix, if a low coherence source is used. As the epoxy cross-links during cure, the refractive index of the epoxy will increase to a value exceeding that of the target fiber. The resulting increased loss in the fiber can be detected at the sensor output and correlated to the state of cure of the epoxy. After cure, the sensor may be operated as a conventional extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric strain sensor if a coherent source is used. Using the modified extrinsic Fabry-Perot sensor, we monitor the cure of Devcon® 5-Minute® Epoxy, and show that it cures in approximately 60 minutes. / Master of Science

Optical fiber magnetometers are extremely sensitive devices which are capable of competing with magnetometers implemented using other technologies. Demodulation of the signals detected using these magnetometers can be performed using either homodyne or heterodyne techniques. Higher sensitivities have been achieved using homodyne rather than heterodyne techniques, but with homodyne demodulation there exists the inherent problem of quadrature-point stabilization. Presented here is a review of existing quadrature-point stabilization methods and experimental results concerning the application of one of them which uses a piezoelectric transducer in the reference arm of an all-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer. / Master of Science

Bibliography: leaves 194-212. / ix, 214 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 31 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Mawson Institute for Antarctic Research, 1991

This thesis presents the research done towards the development of the final mirror suspension stage for the high power test facility at AIGO, Western Australia. One of the goals of the facility is to test advanced suspension methods that may be useful in future gravitational wave detectors. An in depth study of current mirror suspension techniques is presented and areas of possible improvement are highlighted. The extension of an existing suspension modelling toolkit written in Mathematica is also presented, where added functions allow one to include the violin modes of a suspension into their analysis. Through this tool, new suspension geometries boasting a lower number of violin modes with lower Q factors where developed. The orthogonal ribbon suspension and the thin tube suspension boast a lower number of lower Q violin modes compared to typical ribbon suspensions. For the latter, a reduction in the number of violin modes below 5kHz down to 5 and peak thermal noise amplitude by approximately 30dB is predicted. Presented also is the affect that such suspension geometries have on pendulum mode dilution factor and overall suspension thermal noise. It is seen that the violin mode improvement comes at a cost of a small increase in thermal noise above approximately 50Hz. A theoretical analysis of the AIGO cavity locking control scheme is also given. Issues of sensor noise and dynamic range are considered to produce a possible hierarchical locking method that would be compatible with advanced detectors. The resulting actuator force range requirements for AIGO at each actuation location on the vibration isolation system are given. Requirements of local controls before achieving cavity lock are also discussed. Finally, the suspension of a dummy sapphire mirror using removable modular niobium ribbons is presented. The design and performance of an electrostatic actuator and sensor for suspended mirror control is given. Initial experimental results of positioning and control of the final stage suspension through a digital interface is also included.

Advanced Laser Interferometric Gravitational Wave Detectors, based on current infrastructure (in particular, the Advanced LIGO detectors), are being planned to significantly increase the sensitivity to gravitational wave strain in the near future. To upgrade the existing detectors requests implementing very high optical power, as well as very high circulating power in the arm cavities; these measures will increase the sensitivity at the shot noise floor by one order of magnitude. However, such extremely high power circulation in the cavities will cause optical distortions in the test masses. Thermal distortions arise from the optical power absorption by defects or inhomogeneities in test masses, resulting in wavefront deformations, which have important consequences for the power buildup of the Radio-Frequency (RF) sidebands in the recycling cavities, thus degrading the performance of the detectors. The degree of this sensitivity degradation in the shot noise floor, due to optical distortions induced by defects or inhomogeneities (i.e. imperfections) in test masses in Advanced Laser Interferometric Gravitational-wave Detectors, is dependent on the test mass optical quality; while the sensitivity degradation in the thermal noise floor is dependent on the test mass mechanical properties. For this reason, it is compulsory to use high optical and mechanical quality test mass materials in the advanced interferometer detectors. Fused silica has been used for test masses in detectors, while sapphire has been planned to be used for test mass substrates in the proposed Large-scale Cryogenic Gravitational-wave Telescope (LCGT) project. Other materials, such as calcium fluoride (CaF2), are also attractive, especially for cryogenic detectors. However, for the state-of-theAbstract II art facilities, it is difficult to manufacture very uniform, defect-free, inhomogeneity-free, high-quality, and large-size samples. Thus, the qualities of sapphire and calcium fluoride single crystal samples were investigated and evaluated, to ensure that they have suitable properties for use in interferometer detectors, i.e. with an adequately low level of imperfections, but also with high mechanical quality factor (Q-factor). This thesis describes research done in the endeavour to investigate bulk defects or inhomogeneities in test masses, as well as their induced thermal distortions, which appear at a high optical power in Laser Interferometric Gravitational-wave Detectors. An Automatic Rayleigh Scattering Mapping System (ARSMS) to examine the optical property of large-size test masses is described. This ARSMS enables quantitative high-resolution 3D mapping of defects or inhomogeneities in optical materials. The measured 3D defect distribution mapping of optical materials can assist in the design of suitable configurations of test masses in high optical power interferometers. In addition, a very sensitive Hartmann wavefront sensor was used to actively monitor the thermal distortions due to bulk and coating absorption in test masses. A very strong thermal distortion in these test masses was observed in the Gingin facility, demonstrating that thermal distortions could be a critical issue in advanced interferometer detectors. A negative thermo-optical coefficient material, to be used in a thermal distortion compensation method, was investigated for the compensation of very localised distortions due to imperfections. This thesis also includes experimental and theoretical studies of the scattering, absorption, and birefringence mechanisms, thermal distortion effects, and optimal compensation methods for test masses.

Thesis (M.E.-Res.)--University of Wollongong, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: p. 164-179.

Paper discusses the expected uncertainty of orbital parameters of binary stars as measured by the space-based gravitational wave observatory LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) and how the inclusion of spin in the model of the binary stars affects the uncertainty. The uncertainties are found by calculating the received gravitational wave from a binary pair and then performing a linear least-squares parameter estimation. The case of a 1500 solar mass black hole that is 20 years from coalescing with a 1000 solar mass black hole--both of which are 50 x 10^6 light years away--is analyzed, and the results show that the inclusion of spin has a negligible effect upon the angular resolution of LISA but can increase the accuracy in mass and distance measurements by factors of 15 and 65, respectively.

This diploma thesis deals with assessment of geometric accuracy of machining center MCV 754 QUICK. BlueSYSTEM digital inclinometers from WYLER AG, XL-80 laser interferometer from RENISHAW, Ballbar QC20-W from RENISHAW and LaserTRACER self-guiding laser interferometer from ETALON AG were used to measure accuracy. Error of the X straightness in the direction of the Z axis was assessed. The first part of the paper describes the geometric accuracy of the machine, currently available instruments for measuring geometric accuracy and an explanation of straightness. The second part consists of the design of measurements, experiment, evaluation and comparison of results and recommendations for teaching.

Ce travail de recherche a été mené afin d'introduire une nouvelle classe de résonateurs Fabry-Pérot (FP) : les cavités FP incurvées basées sur des miroirs de Bragg sans revêtement, de forme cylindrique sont obtenues par micro-usinage du silicium. Une autre spécificité est la longueur de la cavité relativement grande (L> 200 µm) combinée à un haut facteur de qualité Q (jusqu'à 10^4 ), pour répondre aux applications de type spectroscopie d'absorption améliorée par résonance optique, dans lesquelles le produit Q.L est une figure de mérite. Dans ce contexte, l'architecture de base a été modélisée analytiquement pour déterminer les modes transverses d'ordre élevé supportés par de telles cavités. Par conséquent, les conditions expérimentales qui conduisent à une excitation préférentielle (ou rejet) de ces modes ont été testées menant à la validation de notre modèle théorique et à une meilleure compréhension du comportement de la cavité. Une seconde architecture,basée sur la cavité FP incurvée avec une lentille cylindrique a été développée dans le but de fournir une architecture plus stable. Cette dernière a été également modélisée, fabriquée et caractérisée, menant à l'amélioration attendue en termes de performances. D'un autre côté, un point surlignant l'une des applications potentielles que nous avons identifiées pour les cavités incurvées est présentée en insérant la cavité dans un système électromécanique. Ceci consiste à exciter et mesurer les vibrations d'amplitude nanométrique par couplage opto-mécanique dans un résonateur mécanique MEMS intégrant une cavité optique FP. Enfin, comme complément à notre étude sur les résonateurs, nous avons commencé à explorer les applications des interféromètres optiques à base de miroirs de Bragg en silicium. À cette fin, un microsystème de mesure optique a été conçu, fabriqué et caractérisé, il consiste en une sonde optique pour la profilométrie de surface dans des milieux confinés, basé sur un interféromètre de Michelson monolithique en silicium / This research work has been conducted to introduce a novel class of Fabry-Perot (FP) resonators : curved FP cavity based on coating-free Bragg mirrors of cylindrical shape, obtained by silicon micromachining. Another specificity is the rather large cavity lengths (L>200 µm) combined with high quality factor Q (up to 104), for the purpose of applications requiring cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy, in which the product Q.L is a figure of merit. In this contest, the basic architecture has been modeled analytically to know the high order transverse modes supported by such cavities. Hence, the experimental conditions which lead to preferential excitation (or rejection) of these modes have been tested experimentally leading to the validation of our theoretical model and to a better understanding of the cavity behaviour. A second architecture, based on the curved FP together with a fiber rod lens has been developed for the purpose of providing stable designs. It was also modeled, fabricated and characterized leading to the expected performance improvements. On another side, a highlight on one of the potential applications that we identified for the curved cavities is presented by inserting the cavity into an electro-mechanical system. It consists of exciting and measuring tiny vibration through opto-mechanical coupling in a MEMS mechanical resonator embedding an FP cavity.Finally, as a complement to our study on resonators, we started exploring applications of optical interferometers based on similar micromachined silicon Bragg mirrors. For this purpose, an optical measurement microsystem was designed, fabricated and characterized ; it consists of an optical probe for surface profilometry in confined environments, based on an all-silicon Michelson interferometer

L'astronomie gravitationnelle a débuté en septembre 2015 avec la première détection de la fusion de deux trous noirs par LIGO. Depuis lors, plusieurs fusions de trous noirs et une fusion d'étoiles à neutrons ont été observées. Advanced Virgo a rejoint les deux observatoires LIGO dans la prise de données en août 2017, augmentant fortement les capacités de localisation du réseau. Afin d'exploiter pleinement le potentiel scientifique de ce nouveau domaine, un énorme effort expérimental est nécessaire pour améliorer la sensibilité des interféromètres. Cette thèse, développée dans ce contexte, est composée de deux parties. La première concerne Advanced Virgo : nous avons développé un budget de bruit automatique pour le bruit de fréquence du laser et nous avons effectué des mesures de caractérisation optique pour les cavités de bras kilométriques. Des pertes aller-retour aussi faibles que 80 ppm ont été mesurées. Elles sont parmi les plus basses jamais mesurées avec un faisceau de cette taille. La deuxième partie concerne la conception et le développement d'une cavité de filtrage de 300 m, un prototype pour démontrer la production de lumière squeezing dépendante de la fréquence avec les propriétés nécessaires pour une réduction du bruit quantique à large bande dans KAGRA, Advanced Virgo et Advanced LIGO. Nous avons contribué à la fois aux phases de conception et d'intégration du projet. Nous avons d'abord fait le design optique de la cavité, y compris les spécifications pour l'optique de la cavité et une estimation détaillée des sources de dégradation pour le squeezing. Nous avons donc développé un système de contrôle pour les miroirs, assemblé les suspensions et finalement aligné et mis la cavité en résonance avec la lumière laser / Gravitational wave astronomy has started in September 2015 with the first detection of a binary black-hole merger by LIGO. Since then, several black-hole mergers and a binary neutron star merger have been observed. Advanced Virgo joined the two LIGO detector in the observation run, in August 2017, highly increasing the localization capabilities of the network. In order to fully exploit the scientific potential of this new-born field, a huge experimental effort is needed to bring the instruments at their design sensitivity and to further improve them. This thesis, developed in this context, it is composed of two parts. The first is about Advanced Virgo: we have developed an automatic noise budget for the laser frequency noise and we have performed optical characterization measurements for the kilometric arm cavities. Round trip Losses as low as 80 ppm have been measured. They are among the lowest ever measured for beams of these size. The second part is about the design and development of a 300 m filter cavity, a prototype to demonstrate the frequency dependent squeezing production with properties needed for a broadband quantum noise reduction in the future upgrades of KAGRA, Advanced Virgo and Advanced LIGO. We have contributed to the design and integration phases of the project. We have first made the optical design of the cavity, including the the specifications for the main cavity optics and a detailed estimation of the squeezing degradation sources. We have then developed a local control system for the mirrors, assembled the suspensions, and finally aligned and brought the cavity in resonance with the laser light