NSF Award
2426360
This award supports further development of novel compact optomechanical seismic sensing technologies that strive to provide highly sensitive measurements of seismic phenomena. Seismic activity and slow vibrations impact suspended platforms that operate in environments of low pressure (vacuum) and low temperatures (cryogenics). This project will develop a prototype optomechanical seismic sensor that will allow the team to investigate its performance under laboratory conditions. Understanding the instrument parameters of sensitivity and bandwidth, and its functionality on a suspended platform in vacuum, will help determine their expected behavior in future gravitational wave observatories, such as LIGO Voyager, which is the target application of this research. However, this type of device will likely benefit other areas in science and industrial applications such as seismology, geodesy, precision measurements of vibrations, generally inertial sensing and inertial navigation, where high sensitivity compact instruments are impactful. Furthermore, this award will support the participation and contributions of this research group to the international LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the gravitational wave community at large; allowing the training of our students in STEM areas and helping to educate the local community in topics related to gravitational waves.<br/> <br/>This project targets the development of compact and highly sensitive optomechanical seismic sensors for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). The proposed sensors will be readily compatible with vacuum environments and aim at high-quality measurements below 100 mHz. It is also planned to test first prototypes on relevant platforms within the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC). In addition, the team will investigate the fabrication of these sensors with materials compatible with cryogenic environments. This project introduces novel technologies involving inertial sensing and high precision displacement measurements via laser interferometry within the context of ground-based gravitational wave astronomy. Furthermore, this research will pave the way for the development of cryogenic-compatible devices that could be installed in future generation gravitational wave observatories. Advancing novel technologies to levels where they become portable and can be deployed offers a wide variety of relevant interdisciplinary aspects within STEM areas for the training of future experimental physicists and engineering professionals.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
