Quantum Enhancement of Advanced LIGO Detector Using Squeezed Vacuum States

J. Aasi, J. Abadie, B. P. Abbott +97 more

Ulrik L. Andersen

M. Tse

The Advanced LIGO detector measures the distortion of spacetime from gravitational waves using Michelson interferometers. By injecting a squeezed vacuum state, we have demonstrated shot noise reduction, which enhanced the sensitivity of the LIGO detector. © 2019 The Author(s)

M. Tse, Haocun Yu, N. Kijbunchoo +97 more

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) has been directly detecting gravitational waves from compact binary mergers since 2015. We report on the first use of squeezed vacuum states in the direct measurement of gravitational waves with the Advanced LIGO H1 and L1 detectors. This achievement is the culmination of decades of research to implement squeezed states in gravitational-wave detectors. During the ongoing O3 observation run, squeezed states are improving the sensitivity of the LIGO interferometers to signals above 50 Hz by up to 3 dB, thereby increasing the expected detection rate by 40% (H1) and 50% (L1).

W. Jia, on behalf of LIGO O Detector Author List

We demonstrate the broadband quantum noise reduction of the LIGO detector via injection of frequency-dependent squeezing, which is generated by reflecting squeezed vacuum state from a 300-m detuned filter cavity.

L. Barsotti