A gravitational wave observatory operating beyond the quantum shot-noise limit

doi:10.1038/NPHYS2083

A gravitational wave observatory operating beyond the quantum shot-noise limit

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Abstract

Around the globe several observatories are seeking the first direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs). These waves are predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity and are generated, for example, by black-hole binary systems. Present GW detectors are Michelson-type kilometre-scale laser interferometers measuring the distance changes between mirrors suspended in vacuum. The sensitivity of these detectors at frequencies above several hundred hertz is limited by the vacuum (zero-point) fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. A quantum technology - the injection of squeezed light - offers a solution to this problem. Here we demonstrate the squeezed-light enhancement of GEO 600, which will be the GW observatory operated by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration in its search for GWs for the next 3-4 years. GEO 600 now operates with its best ever sensitivity, which proves the usefulness of quantum entanglement and the qualification of squeezed light as a key technology for future GW astronomy.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	962-965
Number of pages	4
Journal	Nature Physics
Volume	7
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/NPHYS2083
Publication status	Published - 2011

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10.1038/NPHYS2083

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@article{631a37facd8543d6ab551b9109cb8022,

title = "A gravitational wave observatory operating beyond the quantum shot-noise limit",

abstract = "Around the globe several observatories are seeking the first direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs). These waves are predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity and are generated, for example, by black-hole binary systems. Present GW detectors are Michelson-type kilometre-scale laser interferometers measuring the distance changes between mirrors suspended in vacuum. The sensitivity of these detectors at frequencies above several hundred hertz is limited by the vacuum (zero-point) fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. A quantum technology - the injection of squeezed light - offers a solution to this problem. Here we demonstrate the squeezed-light enhancement of GEO 600, which will be the GW observatory operated by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration in its search for GWs for the next 3-4 years. GEO 600 now operates with its best ever sensitivity, which proves the usefulness of quantum entanglement and the qualification of squeezed light as a key technology for future GW astronomy.",

author = "J. Abadie and Abbott, {B. P.} and R. Abbott and Abbott, {T. D.} and M. Abernathy and C. Adams and R. Adhikari and C. Affeldt and P. Ajith and B. Allen and Allen, {G. S.} and {Amador Ceron}, E. and D. Amariutei and Amin, {R. S.} and Anderson, {S. B.} and Anderson, {W. G.} and K. Arai and Arain, {M. A.} and Araya, {M. C.} and Aston, {S. M.} and D. Atkinson and P. Aufmuth and C. Aulbert and Aylott, {B. E.} and S. Babak and P. Baker and S. Ballmer and D. Barker and B. Barr and Chua, {S. S.Y.} and T. Evans and S. Go{\ss}ler and B. Hage and R. Inta and Lam, {P. K.} and McClelland, {D. E.} and J. Miller and Mow-Lowry, {C. M.} and A. Mullavey and R. Schnabel and Scott, {S. M.} and Searle, {A. C.} and Shaddock, {D. A.} and Slagmolen, {B. J.J.} and M. Stefszky and A. Stochino and A. Wade and Ward, {R. L.} and K. Wette and Whiting, {B. F.}",

year = "2011",

doi = "10.1038/NPHYS2083",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

pages = "962--965",

journal = "Nature Physics",

issn = "1745-2473",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A gravitational wave observatory operating beyond the quantum shot-noise limit

AU - Abadie, J.

AU - Abbott, B. P.

AU - Abbott, R.

AU - Abbott, T. D.

AU - Abernathy, M.

AU - Adams, C.

AU - Adhikari, R.

AU - Affeldt, C.

AU - Ajith, P.

AU - Allen, B.

AU - Allen, G. S.

AU - Amador Ceron, E.

AU - Amariutei, D.

AU - Amin, R. S.

AU - Anderson, S. B.

AU - Anderson, W. G.

AU - Arai, K.

AU - Arain, M. A.

AU - Araya, M. C.

AU - Aston, S. M.

AU - Atkinson, D.

AU - Aufmuth, P.

AU - Aulbert, C.

AU - Aylott, B. E.

AU - Babak, S.

AU - Baker, P.

AU - Ballmer, S.

AU - Barker, D.

AU - Barr, B.

AU - Chua, S. S.Y.

AU - Evans, T.

AU - Goßler, S.

AU - Hage, B.

AU - Inta, R.

AU - Lam, P. K.

AU - McClelland, D. E.

AU - Miller, J.

AU - Mow-Lowry, C. M.

AU - Mullavey, A.

AU - Schnabel, R.

AU - Scott, S. M.

AU - Searle, A. C.

AU - Shaddock, D. A.

AU - Slagmolen, B. J.J.

AU - Stefszky, M.

AU - Stochino, A.

AU - Wade, A.

AU - Ward, R. L.

AU - Wette, K.

AU - Whiting, B. F.

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - Around the globe several observatories are seeking the first direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs). These waves are predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity and are generated, for example, by black-hole binary systems. Present GW detectors are Michelson-type kilometre-scale laser interferometers measuring the distance changes between mirrors suspended in vacuum. The sensitivity of these detectors at frequencies above several hundred hertz is limited by the vacuum (zero-point) fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. A quantum technology - the injection of squeezed light - offers a solution to this problem. Here we demonstrate the squeezed-light enhancement of GEO 600, which will be the GW observatory operated by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration in its search for GWs for the next 3-4 years. GEO 600 now operates with its best ever sensitivity, which proves the usefulness of quantum entanglement and the qualification of squeezed light as a key technology for future GW astronomy.

AB - Around the globe several observatories are seeking the first direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs). These waves are predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity and are generated, for example, by black-hole binary systems. Present GW detectors are Michelson-type kilometre-scale laser interferometers measuring the distance changes between mirrors suspended in vacuum. The sensitivity of these detectors at frequencies above several hundred hertz is limited by the vacuum (zero-point) fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. A quantum technology - the injection of squeezed light - offers a solution to this problem. Here we demonstrate the squeezed-light enhancement of GEO 600, which will be the GW observatory operated by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration in its search for GWs for the next 3-4 years. GEO 600 now operates with its best ever sensitivity, which proves the usefulness of quantum entanglement and the qualification of squeezed light as a key technology for future GW astronomy.

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U2 - 10.1038/NPHYS2083

DO - 10.1038/NPHYS2083

M3 - Article

SN - 1745-2473

VL - 7

SP - 962

EP - 965

JO - Nature Physics

JF - Nature Physics

IS - 12

ER -

A gravitational wave observatory operating beyond the quantum shot-noise limit

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