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

LIGO Scientific Collaboration

doi:10.1038/NPHYS2083

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

LIGO Scientific Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

773 Scopus citations

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
State	Published - 2011

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10.1038/NPHYS2083

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@article{8aac60e5d933453a893cb5b2ebafd556,

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 = "{LIGO Scientific Collaboration} and 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 P. Barriga and L. Barsotti and Barton, {M. A.} and I. Bartos and R. Bassiri and M. Bastarrika and J. Batch and J. Bauchrowitz and B. Behnke and Bell, {A. S.} and I. Belopolski and M. Benacquista and Berliner, {J. M.} and A. Bertolini and J. Betzwieser and N. Beveridge and Beyersdorf, {P. T.} and Bilenko, {I. A.} and G. Billingsley and J. Birch and Martin, {R. M.}",

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",

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TY - JOUR

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

AU - LIGO Scientific Collaboration

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 - Barriga, P.

AU - Barsotti, L.

AU - Barton, M. A.

AU - Bartos, I.

AU - Bassiri, R.

AU - Bastarrika, M.

AU - Batch, J.

AU - Bauchrowitz, J.

AU - Behnke, B.

AU - Bell, A. S.

AU - Belopolski, I.

AU - Benacquista, M.

AU - Berliner, J. M.

AU - Bertolini, A.

AU - Betzwieser, J.

AU - Beveridge, N.

AU - Beyersdorf, P. T.

AU - Bilenko, I. A.

AU - Billingsley, G.

AU - Birch, J.

AU - Martin, R. M.

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.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84921022931&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/NPHYS2083

DO - 10.1038/NPHYS2083

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84921022931

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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